You're surely familiar with that famous line from an ancient Roman poet: the people need bread and circuses. As we've seen in the news lately, the "bread" part is a bit shaky — Estonians' purchasing power is low and shoppers are increasingly reaching for discounted products at the store.

But when it comes to the circus, the internet has had more than its fill these past few days. No, I'm not talking about holding Tallinn's city government to account. At the start of the week, a promotional video posted by the South Estonia tourism cluster began spreading like wildfire online. Its stated goal? To draw people to South Estonia for a Christmas vacation "through humor and romance."

In less than two days, the video had racked up over 52,000 views and sparked an unexpectedly huge reaction from all age groups — so much so that you could say the internet exploded. The last time Võru and Võru County got this much attention was when the defense minister showed up with plans to expand the Nursipalu Training Area.

This time, the star arriving in ummamuudu liin (a peculiar kind of town) — as Võru's slogan goes — is socialite Brigitte Susanne Hunt, teetering in on tall stiletto heels. She promptly finds love at the bus station in the form of a dreamy man in a flannel shirt, boasting a perfect hairline — the kind of guy you just don't see walking the streets of Võru. For the record: around here, flannel shirts are typically the domain of more colorful old gentlemen. And if you're curious, the best selection of local flannel shirts can be found at the Võru Market.

The ad follows a plot straight out of a Hallmark Christmas movie and is packed with every syrupy cliché imaginable. The couple bumps into each other again at a hotel reception where he works. Then again during a massage, which he's giving. And finally at a local restaurant where, surprise surprise, the same man is now icing gingerbread cookies.

The fact that this one man plays every role in the story instantly struck a warm, familiar chord among locals. "There really are so few active people in Võru County that the more energetic ones end up doing everything. No matter where you go, it's always the same faces," one commenter noted. Another said the video is quite true to life: "Actually, I have a colleague in Võru who, in a short span of time, provided three very different services to the same woman — he really works all those jobs — and by the end, the lady was having a great time."

In the video, the woman — initially resistant to romance — finally melts when, over a shared meal, she realizes that unlike in Tallinn, where you're constantly expected to prove yourself, in Võru all you need to prove is that the smoke sauna is warm and the sõir (a kind of cheese) isn't rubbery. After an implied kiss (which the viewer doesn't get to see), the whole story wraps up with the conclusion that in Võru, everything is indeed a fairy tale.

The video cost nearly €10,000 and was paid for with membership fees from the tourism cluster's members. Commenters are split: some say it's a budget, humorless knockoff of a Hallmark movie, while others find it charmingly silly — so much so, in fact, that it becomes endearing.

Opinions range widely. The gingerbread glazing scene in particular was so cringeworthy for some that they've vowed to steer clear of white icing this Christmas. One recurring question stands out: what exactly was being marketed here? "Certainly not Võru County," many have concluded.

That sentiment was echoed by University of Tartu marketing professor Andres Kuusik. He said that if the goal was to showcase South Estonia, then the video should have actually shown it — smoke saunas, forests, the things that really draw people here. Instead, what we saw was an empty town, a bus station, a hotel, a restaurant and the town square. The creators, however, are satisfied, saying that South Estonia hasn't been this talked about in the media and on social media in ages — and mostly in a positive light. From their perspective, the goal was met.

Whether the attention now being paid to Võru County is more like that experienced by Mitya (aka Dimitri Kuldarov), the protagonist of Chekhov's short story "Joy," is up to each person to decide. What is certain, however, is that locals shouldn't get too worked up over it.

When asked whether the video belittled or mocked the people of Võru, folklorist Marju Kõivupuu pointed out a more fundamental concern: we tend to forget the value of humor. She noted that humor has always been a part of folklore, as has friendly teasing based on cultural stereotypes that help define different regions. The real issue, she said, arises when we lose our sense of humor, when we can no longer laugh at ourselves or at how others see us.

It brings to mind our summer guests from the big city who always sigh about how simple and pleasant life in the countryside seems — wood comes from the forest, food from the cellar. My mother always agrees enthusiastically: "It is good to live in the countryside. There's nothing to do here but eat, sleep and rake in the money with a pitchfork."

All in all, this one promotional video has gifted the people of Võru with several new catchphrases that are bound to be heard in every trend-savvy social circle through at least the holiday season. Who knows — maybe local department stores will even see a spike in sales of red flannel shirts.

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