Men in bear-fur hats, steam trains and Indian restaurants feature in VisitBritain ad, but no rain.

Story highlights

Rain missing from campaign celebrating things quintessentially British

London themes dominate

Although tourists and litter are missing

London CNN  — 

Encompassing steaming cups of tea, rare steak and Andy Murray, VisitBritain’s latest ad campaign is a video slide show of all things quintessentially British.

Or most of them.

There are even nods to the more modern, cosmopolitan side of the country in the $4 million, 60-second TV ad and interactive website, including Indian restaurants, windsurfing and the rapper Dizzee Rascal.

The ad was meant to convey “the humor and character of a modern, confident Britain,” a VisitBritain spokesman said.

The unmissable side of Britain that’s nonetheless missing from the promotion, however, is rain.

It’s a lack that’s been noted given the floods that have left swathes of southern England still under water as the ad is released.

VisitBritain insisted the floods – some of England’s worst in decades – were nonetheless “not a big story,” the Telegraph quotes a spokesman as saying.

“Scotland has been unaffected; Wales, Cornwall and Devon have had some coastal flooding which has now cleared.

“The vast majority of the country is still open for visitors.”

London bias?

The Telegraph suggests the ad – which will be shown in the United States, Brazil, China, India and some Gulf states – may also be accused of having a London bias.

Stonehenge, Caerphilly Castle and a bit of the Dartmouth Steam Railway feature, but well known sights from the capital, including Buckingham Palace, the Royal Albert Hall, Shakespeare’s Globe and Big Ben, dominate.

London-centric it may be but, understandably wanting to present an upbeat view of Britain, the ad couldn’t be accused of documentary realism.

Along with rain, capital dwellers will note an absence of packed Tube carriages, street preachers and litter.

Oh, and there are no crowds of tourists.

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