Scottish Government Forced to Remove Bus Campaign Image After Chinese Landscape Discovery
The Scottish government has been compelled to take down an advertisement promoting bus travel in the Highlands after it was revealed that the featured image actually shows a nature reserve in China, not Scotland. The campaign, which highlights £2 bus journeys across the Highlands and Islands, initially used a photograph of a bus travelling along a scenic, winding road. However, instead of showcasing the rugged beauty of the Scottish landscape, it has emerged that the picture was taken thousands of miles away in the Changbai Mountain area of China.
Marketing Agency Blamed for Incorrect Image
Transport Scotland confirmed that the image was supplied by an external marketing agency and has now been removed from all communication materials. A spokesperson stated: 'The images were supplied by a marketing agency. The marketing brief clearly specified that images should reflect the local area where the pilot is taking place and feature the correct vehicle type. An incorrect image was then provided by the marketing agency. The image has been removed from partner communications packs and will be withdrawn from any ongoing distributions.'
Social Media Users Spot the Flaw
The cheap bus travel pilot campaign was widely shared on social media platforms, where numerous users quickly noticed the discrepancy. They pointed out that the distinctive green road barriers visible in the image do not exist in Scotland but are commonly found in the Changbaishan National Nature Reserve, located along the border between China and North Korea. On Facebook, one critic remarked: 'If it wasn't negligent it would be hilarious.' Another user on Reddit commented: 'Someone who likely just typed in "Bus going through Highlands" and chose the first option they had licensed. Does look like western Scotland, so it's not a massive shock they didn't notice.'
Criticism Over Government Oversight
Willie Cameron, director of Highland Tourism, expressed strong criticism in an interview with the BBC, stating: 'Blaming a marketing agency is shameless. The responsibility goes back to whoever sent the brief across, when the campaign was ready to go out and being signed off. Why did nobody in the marketing team at Transport Scotland ask where the picture was taken?' He added: 'It never should have been signed off. The fact is we have incredible photographers and professionals who work in the Scottish Highlands and could have provided an accurate campaign with accurate images.'
Another social media user echoed this sentiment, writing: 'It was the agency's fault but quite rightly Scottish government should never have signed this off - quite shambolic.' The advert aimed to showcase buses in the Highlands but instead used an image from a Chinese nature reserve, leading to its removal and raising questions about the verification processes within government communications.
