A woman in Panama City Beach, Florida, called out a beach resort for featuring child models in their billboard. In particular, she pointed out a girl whose feet were on full display, which she and many other viewers found disturbing, to say the least.
The bizarre finding was shared online by user trussellent (Russell). She is a Tampa-based content creator and a vacationer who often vlogs her travels. The clip attached above quickly became her biggest yet, garnering 1.6 million views, 231,200 likes, and more than 8,500 comments.
The Florida woman was in Panama City Beach when she came across a billboard advertising the Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort & Tiki Bar. Russell had a big issue with the ad, as it didn’t show a beach, the resort itself, or even the bar. Instead, it showed a barefoot girl in a bathing suit.
“You’re using a child. And as much as we know about the pedos and foot fetishes and Nickelodeon and all that [expletive], I hope y’all can hear me. Something don’t sit right about this,” the woman said.
Russell pointed out the girl’s exposed feet and also the rainbow scheme. And, worst of all, the other side of the billboard was very similar.
Other Findings
The other face of the billboard showed a girl apparently upset that they were leaving the beach resort. It did show some of the beach, but the centerpiece was the minor, whose age Russell calculated to be between 5 and 8 years old.
“Don’t get me wrong, I love a vacation as much as the next person. I’m on vacation right now,” the Florida woman added. “But shit like that in the climate that we’re in… Something don’t sit right with me about that.”
Viewers in the comments pointed out that the “piper” part of the beach resort’s name was iffy, too. Their website also featured a photo of a young girl in a bikini, advertising the resort as “family friendly.” Finally, in their “Why Stay Here” tab, the beach resort wrote, “So much to do included in your stay, most guests never leave.”
Social Media Reactions
The billboard sparked multiple responses online, but most users agreed with Russell that using child models is a no-go. One said, “That is weird that they’re using kids to advertise to adults.” Another one commented, “Child trafficking is bigger than you think.”
Some viewers, however, saw nothing wrong with the billboard. One wrote, “No. It’s a family-friendly resort. It’s a great place!” Another one added, “Y’all reach so much on this app. Does it get exhausting at all?” Both were met with criticism, with some asking them to open their eyes.
The beach resort’s TikTok account was flooded with angry viewers calling them out over their billboard. Some accuse the resort of deleting comments, and Sandpiper Beacon has not addressed the controversy.
