How Kazakhstan Turned the New Borat Film in its Favor
A great lesson for all marketing enthusiasts.
One of the most outrageous moments of the 2006 film ‘Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan’ was a made-up version of the Kazakh national anthem. It was just one of the many stereotypes that the movie exaggerated as part of its satire on the American way of life and ideologies. However, it’s not surprising that the immediate response in Kazakhstan was not that welcoming. The government was not pleased with the way in which the country was portrayed and released a four-page ad in the New York Times to state the reality of their country. They banned the film in Kazakhstan, even threatening legal action against Sacha Baron Cohen, the creator and actor who played Borat.
The film angered many Kazakhs for its inaccurate depiction and supposed mockery of the country since it was actually shot in Romania and not in Kazakhstan. However, it cannot be denied that the film did wonders for tourism in general.
October 2020 saw the sequel of Borat hit online streaming platforms, which featured Sacha Baron Cohen in the titular role again. He played the journalist from a fictitious and over-exaggerated representation of Kazakhstan. Aware of the atrociousness of his character, he was prepared for a lawsuit from the Kazakh government — but to his surprise, that never happened.
You see, they had learnt from their previous mistakes. It’s said that the reaction of Kairat Sadvakassov, the deputy chairman of Kazakhstan’s tourism board was ‘Oh, again?’ This time they were determined not to look foolish in their response to a satirical film about the US.
So, they embraced the opportunity to take the joke on themself.
Among the many mannerisms of Borat was his frequent use of the phrase ‘Very Nice’ in a distinct accent. The Kazakh Tourism Board has taken de facto ownership of this phrase as their slogan for their country, featuring regular use in their latest advertisements.
This was the brainchild of Dennis Keen, an American who has settled in Almaty, the largest city of Kazakhstan, who gives walking tours and hosts a state television program.
Why it works on so many levels
Turning the catchphrase around is not only a depiction of courage but most importantly shows that the real Kazakhstan is completely opposite to the fictitious world created by Borat. The people know how to take a joke, and turn something that might have seemed negative into a positive story. And you know what, the country looks really beautiful in the commercial and a place that would be loved by tourists. It’s truly a lesson that all marketing enthusiasts should take note of, where an acknowledgment is more powerful than rebuttal. Showing your humorous side can win more people over than threats and display of anger.
When he found out the way the Kazakh government had reversed its earlier stance and embraced the joke, even Sacha Baron Cohen went to the extent of clarifying in a statement that the Kazakhstan depicted in his film was completely fictitious. He went on to say that the real place was a beautiful country and he had only chosen it as the location of the movie since Americans were completely unaware of its culture and heritage.
You know you have been successful when you can get Borat to be courteous toward you!
