With the slogan ‘Poland: More than you expected’, the new promotional video features some of the country’s best-known international figures, such as football star Robert Lewandowski (now playing for Chicago Fire), supermodel and activist Anja Rubik, and Hollywood actor and filmmaker Jesse Eisenberg, who is famously one of Poland's newest citizens.
‘Episode 1’ of the campaign showcases the capital: viewers catch glimpses of the Palace of Culture, the Old Town, Chopin’s statute in Łazienki Park, the National Stadium and Warsaw’s distinctive metro station entrances.
Chopin, played by Polish actor Nikodem Rozbicki, narrates his way through Warsaw, throwing in a cute Easter egg for those who know: ‘Welcome to Warsaw! Where my heart is.’ Obviously, we do believe Chopin loved the city, but this is a clever reference to the fact that the composer’s heart is actually preserved in Warsaw's Holy Cross Church.
The campaign’s next episodes will also feature figures including Nobel laureate Lech Wałęsa, iconic singer-songwriter Maryla Rodowicz and hip-hop composer Radzimir ‘Jimek’ Dębski, highlighting different aspects of contemporary Poland, from history and culture to sport, fashion, music and cinema.
This campaign comes at a time when Poland is seeing a huge spike in tourism. The country has become a prime holiday spot, with cities such as Warsaw, Gdańsk, Kraków and Lublin perfect for city breaks at affordable prices. The message is simple: Poland wants international visitors to look beyond familiar stereotypes — and discover a country with historic cities, Baltic beaches, beautiful mountains, gorgeous lakes and an increasingly vibrant contemporary cultural scene.
So far the first video has been met with mixed reviews from Poles, in keeping with Poland’s healthy tradition of complaining. Let’s see what the next ‘episodes’ bring!
Watch the first clip here: