Helsinki has issued a highly personal public invitation to Pamela Anderson, asking the actress to visit Finland’s capital and reclaim her Finnish family name, Hyytiäinen. The invitation follows comments Anderson made in a recent Vogue Scandinavia interview, where she spoke about wanting to reconnect with her Finnish roots and expressed an interest in changing her name to Pamela Hyytiäinen.
The outreach was delivered through a short film featuring Finnish actor Janne Hyytiäinen, who shares the surname Anderson has said she would like to adopt. The City of Helsinki, together with Hyytiäinen, produced the film as a direct address to Anderson. The city also took the unusual step and placed roadside billboards along routes on Vancouver Island, where Anderson currently lives, sending the message even beyond Finland.
In the Vogue Scandinavia interview, Anderson spoke about simplifying her life, embracing a more natural public image and reconnecting with her heritage. She noted that while she would like to change her name, she believed she would not be able to do so. In response, Helsinki has sought to clarify that adopting the surname Hyytiäinen is in fact possible, and that general guidance on the process 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,” said Soila Lehkonen, Head of Brand and PR at Helsinki Partners.
In 2025, Finland was ranked the happiest country in the world for the eighth consecutive year, and Helsinki was named the world’s most sustainable destination for the second consecutive year. Now the city frames the invitation as part of its broader approach to wellbeing and everyday quality of life. According to the press release, the city views happiness as something shaped through practical, everyday experiences, a principle reflected in its brand and promotion strategy.
“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,” Lehkonen added.
Liisa Kivelä, Chief Communications Officer of the City of Helsinki, said the city would be eager to introduce Anderson to everyday life in the capital if she were to respond. “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,” she commented.
At the centre of the campaign is the short film titled “Operation: Make Pamela a Hyytiäinen,” in which Janne Hyytiäinen explains how the surname could be formally adopted under Finnish law, outlining options such as marriage, adoption or citizenship. Fewer than 1,800 people in Finland share the surname Hyytiäinen, according to Finnish population data, and Hyytiäinen suggests he and Anderson could even be distant relatives.
“I’d love to personally welcome Pamela to Helsinki and show her around the city. Who knows, this open invitation could turn into a meeting of long-lost cousins,” he says.
The city has stressed that the invitation is a one-way gesture and that Anderson is not involved in the campaign. Whether or not she responds, Helsinki says the initiative reflects its broader approach to welcoming those who wish to reconnect with Finnish heritage, highlighting everyday wellbeing and a sense of belonging as central elements of life in the capital.
