Tourist destinations usually compete over who has the most beautiful beaches, the most impressive landscapes, or the richest culinary offerings. Finland’s Turku Archipelago has decided to approach the competition differently. It claims to be the best-smelling place in the world, and to prove it, it is looking for someone willing to travel there, explore its scents, and tell the world what they discover. The job offers €2,000.
Behind the unusual recruitment campaign is Visit Turku Archipelago, which partnered with United Imaginations Helsinki to launch Get a Nose Job in Saaristo. The campaign’s name plays on the double meaning of the English expression nose job, most commonly associated with cosmetic nose surgery. In this case, however, the nose does not need to be changed, but employed.
The campaign was introduced through a film in which French actor Lambert Wilson takes on the role of a serious recruiter conducting an international search for someone with an exceptional sense of smell. Shot on location in the Finnish archipelago, the film was directed by Jan Sederlöf, with production by Breakfast. The humor comes from the seriousness with which the characters approach a task that initially seems almost absurd.
Behind the film’s story, however, is a genuine job offer. The organizers are looking for a professional “Nose,” someone who will spend five to seven days in May or June 2027 exploring the islands and evaluating their distinctive scents. From sea air and pine forests to saunas and freshly baked bread, the task will be to identify, describe, and document what makes this destination special.
The selected candidate will receive €2,000 gross, with travel and accommodation expenses covered, and will sign a fixed-term employment contract with the organization. Their photographs, videos, and observations will be used in the destination’s communications on social media and other channels.
Applicants do not need formal training in perfumery or professional experience in scent analysis. Candidates must be at least 18 years old, have the right to work in Finland, own suitable recording equipment, and be able to communicate their experiences convincingly on camera. The selection process will evaluate how they describe scents, their on-camera presence, their social media presence, and the overall persuasiveness of their applications.
The unusual approach has already attracted attention from the international creative industry. Bestadsontv.com named Get a Nose Job in Saaristo the Best TV Spot of the Week, with the selection made by Helio Maffia, Creative Director at BBDO New York.
This is also where an interesting communication twist lies. Tourism advertising relies almost entirely on visuals, while scents are an experience that cannot be conveyed through a screen. Visit Turku Archipelago has turned that very limitation into the reason for its campaign, inviting someone to visit the destination on behalf of viewers and describe what the camera cannot capture.
