Hong Kong's new tourism ad slammed as 'creepy'

The latest tourism ad for Hong Kong has been accused of depicting an abusive relationship. Photo / Twitter

Tourism Hong Kong seems to have missed the mark with its new ad, featuring a young couple on an adventure.

The ad, which was meant to be a romantic story, has backfired, with calls on social media for it to be banned, as people deem it as "creepy".

The video titled "Treasures of the Heart" was directed by Chan Chi-fat and shared to Hong Kong's official Twitter account earlier in October.

It shows a young woman frantically searching for her passport a few hours before her scheduled flight. She can't find it but, instead, she finds a note from her boyfriend saying he took her passport because he doesn't want her to leave.

He then sends her on a scavenger hunt around the city to find her own passport.

"Girl meets boy. Girl leaves boy. Boy hides girl's passport: A #ShamShuiPo love story," the accompanying Twitter caption reads.

The ad has since received dozens of comments from angry viewers who say it depicts a story of "abuse" and sends out a "terrible message" by romanticising a controlling relationship.

"Stealing someone's passport isn't romantic, it's what abusers do ... delete this," a Twitter user said.

"So he's LITERALLY covertly manipulating conditions in order to control a woman's ability to leave. That's coercion and is abusive," someone else pointed out.

stealing someone's passport isn't romantic, it's what abusers do....delete this

— Maram (@maram_fah) October 17, 2018

So he's LITERALLY covertly manipulating conditions in order to control a woman's ability to leave. That's coercion and is abusive.

— Rachel Zader aka fake Jessica Jones (@RachelZader) October 17, 2018

Coercion and control are not romantic or cute and shouldn't bed used to market anything, except maybe mace. You might want to update the cultural narrative you're peddling to be non-abusive. Not a good look for Hong Kong. JFC 🤦‍♀️

— Matcha Fan Mandy Salvage (@earlgreyhottea) October 17, 2018

So I can come to HK and kidnap my girlfriend, and it's ok? Really? WTAF?!?!?

— Andy (@AC2Gd) October 16, 2018

NOT ROMANTIC. CREEPY.

— Soror Somnia Clare (@ElectricMaenad) October 17, 2018

The ad remains on the Hong Kong Twitter account despite calls for a ban.