Billboard Saying 'Total Douchebag Earns More' Along Highway Angers Mayor

A massive billboard with the text "a total douchebag earns more!" sits along the A2 highway near Vianen, impossible to miss for drivers. The company behind the campaign wants to draw attention to the pay transparency law, but the mayor of Vijfheerenlanden, Sjors Fröhlich, is not amused. "We do our best to teach our children no swear words, this does not help."

Fröhlich hopes the campaign is removed from his municipality as soon as possible. "I have nothing against a sharp campaign, I am not a doormat and sometimes push boundaries myself," he explained on social media. "But we all share responsibility to keep public spaces decent." He received support online, with people calling the billboard disgusting and inappropriate given the negative impact on children.

A spokesperson for Van Spaendonck, the company behind the campaign, said the intent was never to offend. They explain the word "douchebag" refers not to anatomy but to people who negotiate better and earn more than modest individuals. "We do not just blast the word, we also offer help." Regardless of intent, Mayor Fröhlich hopes the poster comes down quickly, calling himself a stickler for decency but wishing the message would vanish.