After touring the Amsterdam hiding place of the young Holocaust victim and diarist, Anne Frank; hip hop sensation Justin Bieber decided to leave his mark in the museum’s guest book: “Anne was a great girl. Hopefully, she would have been a Belieber,“ (a believer in Justin Bieber.) Her chronicle, The Diary of a Young Girl is recognized as one of the most inspirational Holocaust accounts of courage, perseverance, and faith. Observing this tragic time in history was an inappropriate moment for Bieber to talk about himself with such self conscious arrogance.
Even more unorthodox, the museum did not seem offended. By posting his guest book comments on their Facebook page, the museum used the controversy to reach Bieber’s 37 million online followers. “We hope that his visit will inspire his fans (teenage girls who may not have known of the historical figure) to learn more about her life and hopefully read the diary.”
Despite an online backlash of outraged comments, new media provided a marketing opportunity for both Bieber and the Anne Frank House. Courses in media training and presentation skills along with acting, singing, and music help celebrities and others know how to perform in public.