Almost every year around Christmas time a series of adorable photos go viral. You may have seen Scotland's favorite ponies, Fivla and Vitamin, make rounds online. The pair can be seen wearing festive knitted sweaters posing with the sunset as the perfect background.
This year was not the exception, as the photos went viral again on Instagram. The photoshoot with the pair of Shetland ponies was taken to promote tourism in Scotland, making them the faces of an important campaign to bring more visitors to the beautiful country.
"I mean I've already wanted to visit my entire life so this is just a bonus," one person wrote on Instagram, while someone else commented, "Whoever came up with this marketing is an absolute genius," adding, "You already had me at Scotland. You have me even more at ponies in cardigans."
"We've been using this advert for yours now and I love seeing it each time because of the wee guys in jumpers," one online user from Scotland said in the comments. Despite the campaign being shot in 2013, the photos are still effective when it comes to bringing more tourists.
“We were looking for a photo which encapsulated Scotland’s stunning natural landscapes, highlighted somewhere a little off the beaten track, and included some true Scottish locals to reflect what this year offers to visitors. Shetland, and in particular Shetland Ponies, instantly sprang to mind," Visit Scotland said to Huffington Post.
Shetland ponies are known to be a symbol of Scotland. The adorable animals are 28 to a maximum of 42 inches in height and can survive in cold temperatures, which means they probably don't need holiday sweaters. They also have a heavy coat and short legs, a short muscular neck, and a compact stocky body.