Invitation to Pamela Anderson

Helsinki has issued a public invitation to Pamela Anderson: come to Finland’s capital and reclaim your Finnish family name, Hyytiäinen. The invitation follows Anderson’s Vogue Scandinavia interview, where she expressed a wish to reconnect with her Finnish roots. The invitation was delivered through a short film, starring actor Janne Hyytiäinen, currently the world’s most famous Hyytiäinen.

The capital of the happiest nation in the world has issued an invitation to Pamela Anderson to come to Helsinki, and should she wish, reclaim her Finnish family name, Hyytiäinen. To deliver the message, Helsinki enlisted another Hyytiäinen, Finnish actor Janne Hyytiäinen, in a short film addressed directly to Anderson. The city even took the outreach to Vancouver Island, where Anderson currently lives, setting up roadside billboards along routes in and out of her home city.

The invitation follows Anderson’s interview in Vogue Scandinavia, in which she spoke about simplifying her life, embracing a more natural image and embracing her Finnish heritage. Anderson also said she would like to change her name to Pamela Hyytiäinen, but stated she would not be able to do so.

Regardless of why Anderson could not make the change, Helsinki wants to make clear that adopting the name Hyytiäinen is possible, and general guidance on how the process works is publicly available.

“After reading Anderson’s interview in Vogue Scandinavia, we wanted to respond with a warm welcome to Helsinki. Many of the interests she has spoken about publicly, from nature and wellbeing to a simpler everyday rhythm, are also things Helsinki has a great deal to offer”, says Soila Lehkonen, Head of Brand and PR at Helsinki Partners.

Finland has been ranked the happiest country in the world by the World Happiness Report for the eighth year in a row, and Helsinki sees happiness as something shaped in everyday life. In line with the capital’s strategy, that Helsinki provides all the conditions for living the best possible life, the city aims to support wellbeing in practical, human ways.

“Anderson’s public comments regarding her Finnish heritage sparked a simple question on our end: if someone publicly expresses a wish to reconnect with their Finnish roots, what would a welcoming, functional city do? For Helsinki, the answer was to send an invitation,” continues Soila Lehkonen.

“If Anderson were to respond, we would be delighted to welcome her and to introduce her to everyday life in Helsinki, including Finnish sauna culture. Perhaps even a smoke sauna followed by a cold dip, as a very Helsinki-style way to say welcome,” states Liisa Kivelä, the Chief Communications Officer of the City of Helsinki.

From an actor-to-actor and Hyytiäinen-to-Hyytiäinen

At the centre of the invitation is a short film featuring Finnish actor Janne Hyytiäinen, who shares the surname Anderson wishes to reclaim. Hyytiäinen is known internationally for his roles in films by Cannes-winning director Aki Kaurismäki.

In the short film “Operation: Make Pamela a Hyytiäinen”, Hyytiäinen addresses Anderson directly and explains how the surname could be formally adopted under Finnish law, outlining options such as marriage, adoption or citizenship.

Anderson and Hyytiäinen may even be distant relatives. Data from the Finnish Digital and Population Data Services shows that fewer than 1,800 people in Finland share the surname Hyytiäinen.

Anderson herself is not participating in the campaign or collaborating with Helsinki, and Helsinki is not presenting her as part of it. This is a one-way invitation from the city, addressed directly to her.

A hyper-targeted outreach across the Atlantic

The city opted for a hyper-targeted approach aimed at ensuring Pamela Anderson herself would see the message. The outreach includes outdoor placements on Vancouver Island, where Anderson lives, and targeted social media ads designed to reach her directly rather than a broad audience. Even the invitation’s landing page is asking visitors to confirm they truly are Pamela Anderson before proceeding.

The short film includes a number of easter eggs targeted to highlight Anderson’s publicly known interests and values. These include scenes featuring traditional Finnish foods such as vispipuuro, references to horses, Yves Piaget roses, and the sauna as a form of everyday wellbeing.