Finnish Embassy Canberra: Two Posts Draw About 80 Million Views Each
A dating-themed travel video and a routine office-closure notice have each drawn about 80 million views for Finland’s embassy in Canberra, turning its social media account into an unexpected online sensation.
Ambassador Arto Haapea said he welcomed the attention, as long as it helped bring Australia and Finland closer and increased visibility for the embassy’s work.
From dating pitch to planning day
The viral run began with Haapea appearing in a video for a campaign inviting single people to enter a competition. The prize offered a trip to Finland and a meal with other people interested in dating.
In the playful video, Haapea asks, “You've tried Tinder, you've tried Bumble, but have you tried Helsinki?” Another line suggests that a person’s postcode, rather than the person, might be the problem.
Three days later, the embassy posted that it would close for a day so its team could hold a planning event. The ordinary notice gained even more attention after the dating video, Haapea said.
Unusual attention for an embassy account
Each post has now reached about 80 million views, according to Haapea, far exceeding the embassy’s previous Instagram numbers. The response to the closure notice surprised staff more than the reaction to the dating campaign.
The contrast helped fuel the online interest: one post pitched a trip and a chance to meet potential dates, while the next announced a temporary pause in embassy services for internal planning.
Haapea said he had no objection to the embassy becoming a meme. “As long as it's positive and good and brings us more visibility to the work we do to bring Australia and Finland closer,” he said.
