The language of advertising to recruit, and more recently, to de-recruit, immigrants provides a mostly unexamined aspect of the rationales provided for why people move.

Negative advertising about one’s own country as a means to deter refugees and migrants from seeking asylum there is a new development in the ongoing story of human migration and the role of media in shaping its processes. Recently, the Guardian (August 30, 2013) reported on posters in immigration offices commissioned by British authorities that contained the message: “Is Life Here Hard? Going Home is Simple.”

www.theguardian.com/…/going-home-immigration-posters-shameful

Directed mostly at Romanians desirous of entering and settling in Britain, the ad campaign drew a satirical response from a Romanian company:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/copyranter/brilliant-award-winning-romania-tourism-campaign

http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/jan/27/uk-immigration-romania-bulgaria-ministers 

The topic elicited a rejoinder by an esteemed colleague who suggested a humorous line of his own: “Maybe they should have tried that on the East India Company. ‘India: you won’t like it – it’s far too hot for you and the food is too spicy!’”