President's Daughters Selling Azerbaijan On CNN


Apparently -- and this probably won't be breaking news to many people -- the daughters of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev are in an advert promoting tourism in Azerbaijan.

The oldest one, Leyla Aliyeva, is the lady sat in a regal pose at the beginning of the commercial. I'm not sure whether the other daughter, Arzu, is the blond lady on the phone in the breezy old-town apartment, the bikini-clad woman relaxing at the opulent pool, or the woman walking along the beach at sunset.

I wonder whether Ilham "suggested" that they take part, or whether a bunch of sycophantic creative directors thought that, in explaining Azerbaijan's allure, only the Aliyeva sisters made the grade.

CORRECTION: Leyla is actually the oldest daughter, not the youngest as I originally had. Sorry, my mistake.

-- Luke Allnutt