12 January 2007 Serbia has Geography

Serbian Ministry for Screwing Things Up spent 500.000â‚¬ for a propaganda campaign on CNN â€” several months of this and one more video (which includes more urban shots). The commercial is not only supposed to better the tourism in Serbia, but also improve the international perception of the country.

From watching this video, you will learn that, unlike Sahara or Gobi, Serbia is rich in hills, lakes, snow and churches. Who wouldn’t want to visit!?

Here’s what I would make, if I had an opportunity and knowledge:

Two men sit at an outdoor table doing nothing. One is a typical older Serbian man, with large mustaches and traditional clothes. The other guy is mid-aged obvious westerner. Background presents wonderful geographical features of Serbia and you can hear the noise of water in a blue stream. Both men look pleased and at peace and perfectly content with the silence. After some seconds, they surprise you by drinking shots of rakija simultaneously. The off voice says: Rural Serbian tourism: Drinking with locals.
People dancing at an outdoors rave party. The camera zooms out towards the bird perspective, slowly revealing: the party, the Petrovaradin fortress where it’s taking place, Novi Sad, satellite image of Serbia. And use the current slogan: Sights and sounds.

But I’m no marketing expert. The commercials that we got now aren’t terribly bad or anything â€” they are just average.