Armando Testa Defends Controversial 'Venere Influencer' Campaign for Enit

The Armando Testa agency has broken its silence on the widely criticized 'Venere influencer' campaign for Enit, Italy's national tourism board, funded by the Ministry of Tourism. In a full-page letter in Corriere della Sera titled 'Open to Grazie,' the agency thanks critics for generating a cultural debate, claiming the campaign broke through indifference within five days. The letter addresses specific controversies: the use of stock footage mistakenly showing Slovenian locations (which the agency says was only a presentation video, not the final spot), and the €9 million budget, which they clarify is for media planning across international markets, not solely for creative fees. Armando Testa defends the use of stereotypes as necessary to attract attention to Italy's identity, and notes that the Venus influencer has not been discussed this much in over 500 years. The campaign has sparked widespread mockery, including AI-generated parodies, but the agency frames the attention as a success.