This photo comes from the Athens airport — shared by a friend.

The full creative can be found here, not that the added context renders the ad any more intelligible or less preposterous. But how does such a message promote HSBC’s business? And have fully literate copywriters become so rare a commodity that the world’s sixth-largest banking conglomerate can’t find one for hire these days? “In Iran it’s 25%” What is? The portion of American films made by women? Or the portion of Iranian women beaten up by the religious police at some point in their lives?

Should you feel inclined to drop HSBC a line, its press contacts can be found here.