Kazakhstan’s been resisting, rejecting, and rolling its eyes at Sacha Baron Cohen’s satirical depiction of the country since Borat was merely a supporting character on Da Ali G Show. Now, following the release of Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, the board of tourism is throwing up its hands and leaning into the free press. Baron Cohen portrays the country as dirty, antisemitic, and riddled with incest, sure, but, in the age of COVID, any publicity is good publicity.
“In COVID times, when tourism spending is on hold, it was good to see the country mentioned in the media,” Kairat Sadvakassov, the deputy chairman of Kazakhstan’s tourism board, told The New York Times. “Not in the nicest way, but it’s good to be out there.”
Sadvakassov’s first instinct, however, was just to “let it die its natural death and not respond.” The efforts of Dennis Keen, an L.A. transplant in Kazakhstan, changed that. Keen and a colleague, Yermek Utemissov, pitched a new slogan based on the film—“Kazakhstan. Very nice!”—and, after getting approval, produced four shorts highlighting the country’s natural wonders, urban sprawl, and cuisine. “Very nice,” declares each of the ad’s tourists, none of whom, thank god, do so in a neon mankini.