Ok, I am exaggerating, but belgia.ru really scared the hell out of me. I came across the site while on the Favourite Websites Award (FWA) website. Apparently the site's innovative use of HD video earned it the FWA 'site of the day' award on the 24th August this year. As the FWA explains, the site is for a 'Belgian style village neighbouring Moscow... depicting "hundreds" of reasons to emigrate from the overcrowded megapolis.'
Admittedly the site is beautiful to watch and a pleasure to use. What scared me though, was the way those 'hundreds of reasons' were depicted. The site appears to be aimed at the growing Russian middle classes eager to escape the daily reality by moving to a gated community, in this case a faux Belgian village. It unashamedly feeds on people's fears of everything and anyone around them. Through a series of beautifully filmed scenes of clean looking, well fed, well groomed, young, wealthy Russians, the site sells a lifestyle that is miles away from big, fat, ugly, poor, owners of scary dogs!
It's worth a look.
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