Their goal was to reach out to a 13-to-17 demographic in time for female students to take foundational courses in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), in time to launch STEM careers. That’s a laudable goal. The video message came across as “Wear short skirts; girls are decorative, first” rather than “Take Algebra and prepare for the thrill of achievement in STEM. Female scientists can be hot too.”

The rest of the EU campaign “Science — It’s a Girl Thing!” is much more clear. A tab on their website called “Six Reasons Science Needs You” reminds girls we all need to address the challenges of our world: health, preserved ecosystems, secure and clean energy, smart transport, climate action, and innovative societies. Anyhow, at least the EU is on the right track. Intelligence, like virtue or a sense of humor, is attractive in itself.