Italian premier, media mogul, football team owner. Now Silvio Berlusconi has also become a spokesman for the country's natural and artistic beauties.
The premier lent his voice to a TV ad by the Tourism Ministry urging Italians to spend their holidays exploring "an extraordinary country
you have yet to discover."
Berlusconi does not appear in the 30-second "Magic Italy" ad, which features images of some of the country's artistic landmarks and views of its coastline.
The ad, presented this week, will appear on Italian TV throughout August.
Already popular on YouTube, the ad has been the subject of various spoofs. In one, Berlusconi's voice in juxtaposed with images of trash piling in the streets, lawmakers causing a scene in parliament and police scuffles.