In light of our discussion about nature tourism ads and the controversy they pose, I wanted to share this ad I came across recently, captioned “Humanity and nature are one”.
The ad caught my eye because of how different it is from many of the other nature ads we have studied in class. The picture is simple, yet holds such a strong message. It explicitly shows the direct correlation between human and nature, driving the idea that one needs the other in order for both to coexist.
In addition, most of the ads that we looked at picture a young/middle-aged Caucasian male, or a young Caucasian couple. This ad features and old, weathered hand of an individual with dark skin. The aged hand beautifully illustrates the timeless, strong relationship between humans and the environment.
I feel as though the ad perfectly depicts what it means to be one with nature, while encouraging people to get as close as possible. In all honesty, this makes me want to explore the world around me much more than an ad telling me that nature’s sole purpose is to entertain me, or that the province I live in is MINE to discover. This depicted balance gives a feeling of restoration and ultimate beauty, which the tourism industry could use quite badly.