The future of Israeli tourism online?

May 1, 2011 by · 1 Comment
Filed under: Life, Travel 

The Kinzy family from their Facebook page

Who are the Kinzy’s and why are they so important to the future of Israeli tourism? The Kinzy family of four, from Bulverde Texas – along with another couple from New York – were chosen from nearly 600 applicants to participate in an all expenses paid two-week vacation in Israel. The catch: the lucky winners have to post pictures, videos and status updates to Facebook and Twitter.

The social media campaign was developed by New York advertising agency Bodden Partners and is being paid for by the Israel Tourism Ministry. The result is oddly compelling, in a voyeuristic kind of way. I don’t know the Kinzy’s, but it’s fun to watch them experience Israel for the first time and document it all in public, in the same way that people can’t turn off Big Brother and other reality television. Only this time it’s for a good cause.

The Kinzy’s were in Israel during the Passover holiday: one of their posts reads “we sure do love matzoh brie.” There are 40 photos from the family’s trip to the Galilee and another 37 snapped at the Dead Sea. There are also a number of YouTube videos – real down home stuff like visiting the Western Wall and eating at a steakiya.

The posts are understandably ebullient – not only did the Tourism Ministry pay for the trips, but a film crew followed the family around in order to make a post-visit commercial. To their credit, there’s no subterfuge: the “welcome” screen on their Facebook page clearly indicates that this is not just a family who “happen” to be posting about a trip to Israel.

The effect, unfortunately, may not be as extensive as the campaign promoters would have hoped. Only 345 people “liked” the Kinzy’s page (the other winners – Arthur Rollin and Caitlin McNamara – had slightly more, at 427 likes). But it’s a creative approach to harnessing the power of social media, exactly what one would expect coming from a country as “wired” as Israel.

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Ding Dong goes the Eurovision bell

May 1, 2011 by · 1 Comment
Filed under: A New Reality, Entertainment, General, Israeliness, Life, Music, Pop Culture 

According to the official Eurovision website, the official video of Israel’s 2011 Eurovision Song Contest entry – Dana International’s version of ‘Ding Dong’ – has been released.

Why is this important, and what is Eurovision? Maybe because we’re surrounded by life-or-death news events and live in a pressure cooker environment, Israelis tend to veer toward the silly in all other endeavors, which explains why we’re so crazy about Eurovision.

Entertainers from dozens of countries dressing up in costumes that would make the Village People blush and performing songs that the Village People probably rejected as too camp – that about sums up Eurovision. And we love it!

The flamboyant transsexual Dana International, who won the contest back in 1998, is downright conventional and mainstream in the Eurovision lineup. According to the website, Dana and the Israeli delegation are leaving for Dusseldorf on Tuesday for the contest – her semi-final appearance is taking place on May 12, with the finals, hopefully with her included taking place on May 14.

On May 9, the anniversary of her victory, and the day of Israel’s 63rd Independence, the Israeli delegation will hold a reception and party at a club in Dusseldorf for all the Eurovision participants. And now… here’s Israel’s entry in the Eurovision contest, Ding Dong!
If anyone can figure out why Dana is seated in almost every scene, like she’s glued to the chair, let me know.

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