Hungary’s government is copping it in spades on social media after it launched a new nationwide campaign promoting marriage and children that stars the planet’s most unfaithful partner.

Like many western nations, Hungary is suffering a baby shortage and, being a bit panicked by migrants, wants the country’s young people to marry and start procreating.

The outdoor campaign features the slogan, “Young married couples are receiving support while they expect a baby” and features two attractive young people in a cute embrace.

However, keen-eyed fans of the ad have noticed the chap in the billboard is also the star of the globally famous meme known as the “distracted boyfriend”. Check out the iconic image below:

Even worse, the couple are wearing the exact same clothes in both the images.

The images were shot for part of a generic series for the photo library Shutterstock way back in 2015 and are available to use for any purpose so long as the user pays a licensing fee.

Apart from the photographic mix-up, other Hungarians are calling the ad out for its nationalistic/anti-immigration sentiment. As one social media commentator described it, it definitely has a “keep Hungary Hungarian” vibe.

Last month, Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, announced a suite of new initiatives to boost the nation’s birth rate including the abolishment of income tax for any woman prepared to have four or more children.

“There are fewer and fewer children born in Europe,” Mr Orbán said. “For the West, the answer [to that challenge] is immigration.

“For every missing child there should be one coming in and then the numbers will be fine. But we do not need numbers — we need Hungarian children,” he said.

The government is yet to comment on the furore surrounding the latest campaign.