AN ONLINE video which used local celebrities to spoof an expensive advertising campaign for California is up for three major awards.

Bournemouth Tourism Marketing Group came up with the idea for the viral video, which parodies the Visit California TV ads.

It features Bournemouth and Poole celebrities including football manager Harry Redknapp, comedian and impressionist Debra Stephenson and former Blur bassist Alex James, alongside some less famous residents. The video was launched on YouTube in February 2013 and attracted the interest of media from around the world – including Visit California itself.

Bournemouth Tourism now finds itself shortlisted alongside the likes of O2, JohnLewis and the NHS in the Golden Hedgehog Awards, supported by the Public Relations Consultants Association. The video is up for Best Use of Video, Public Sector Campaign of the Year and Low Budget Campaign of the Year.

Visit California’s original ‘misconceptions’ ad poked fun at the idea that the state’s residents all drove convertibles, surfed and behaved like rock stars. In Bournemouth’s version, the local celebrities stood in for the likes of Rob Lowe, Betty White and Kim Kardashian.

Sara Uzzell, chairman of the Bournemouth Tourism Marketing Group, said: “This shows that Bournemouth can compete on a global stage and punches above its weight when it comes to marketing campaigns.

“This has been achieved with just a small in-house team at Bournemouth Tourism, who show that when it comes to promoting our town – nobody does it better.”

The video has received more than 121,500 views after coverage in the Echo, national TV and radio.