2024-04-18 15:20:09
A video from the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Finance is causing a stir. Not everyone likes children’s language.
With an online campaign that was probably meant to be funny, the Ministry of Finance in Baden-Württemberg is trying to encourage citizens to pay taxes. Linguistically, the messages are aimed more at young people: “No tax returns, no understanding, just fear,” says a short video under a picture of a hamster with tears in its eyes. The cool song “Pedro” can also be heard.
Above the next picture it says: “Employees receive an average tax refund of 1,095 euros”, and a hamster head rotates in the background. Another clip says “Machi my first tax return, hopefully I’ll get a lot of money back.”
Network users make fun of videos
“I asked if you were still very close..,” wrote a user on the Complete idiots,” wrote another.
On Tiktok, a user wrote: “I’ve shown the Tiktok to my hamster three times now and he still refuses to file a tax return. Any suggestions?”
A media psychologist criticized the campaign in the “Bild” newspaper. “The worst thing you can do in communication in general is to ingratiate yourself as obviously as is the case here,” said Jo Groebel from the German Digital Institute in Berlin.
A spokesman for the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Finance explained in response to a query from Bild that the posts had “achieved a reach of over 170,000 – without paid advertising.” The hamster, who finally wants to declare his taxes, has received more than 8,000 likes and more than 180,000 views (as of April 18, 1:30 a.m.).