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Srbija 2020

CNN Moments

Larry King Live goes to commercial, and a map of Europe appears on the television screen. The outline of Serbia glows red against the unmarked, gray continent. The frame zooms in on the small country, then cuts to images of monasteries, happy crowds of people, and low lit naturescapes. As the advertisement comes to an end, the audience is left with the parting slogan, "Serbia: Moments to Remember." This is one of Serbia's two new self-promotional commercials, which was aired for the first time last week on CNN and will continue to run for the next few months. (see Dejan Bizinger's last blog entry http://blog.b92.net/node/3746 for YouTube links).

Since the airing, I've heard a great deal of criticism, primarily of the quality of the advertisements themselves: they're too cheesy, they're too generic, they show too many churches, and the complaints go on. And I agree. In fact, they very much remind me of the equally banal commercials run by my own home state of North Carolina, which seem to be based on the notion that the image of a bird flying low over a golden, grassy marsh set to Jame's Taylor's "Carolina in My Mind" and framed by the slogan "A Better Place to Be" will somehow sway any member of the target audience to plan his or her next vacation to our seaside.

But in Serbia's case, I believe the main flaw in its self-promotional ad campaign lies less in its scene selection, and more in the failure of its funders (the government) to address the larger issue at hand - that if Serbia is to become a tourist destination or, more importantly, a destination for any substantial foreign investment, it has to resolve the Kosovo issue.

In the 1990s, via news clips of tanks, mine fields and mass graves, Serbia gave the CNN viewing audience plenty of "Moments to remember," which now must be forgotten or at least forgiven before viewers will even consider visiting Serbia's churches, lakes, or ski slopes. For this to happen, Serbia needs to be seen as a country working towards regional stabilization which includes reaching a settlement for Kosovo.

Until a final status is decided, Serbia will continue to be seen from abroad as hostile, uncooperative, and, in turn, a potentially dangerous destination. Yet the current government, who was willing to spend €500,000 on "Moments to remember," has barely begun to seriously discuss Kosovo's future status and likely independence, but rather continues to push for delays in the status talks.

The possible position of the future government in regards to Kosovo doesn't seem much better either. The only party leader openly willing to accept an independent Kosovo in the name of progress for Serbia, Cedomir Jovanovic, may not even get enough votes to make the 5% threshold, and throughout his campaign, PM Kostunica has repeatedly trumpeted the slogan "Ne damo Kosovo," unnecessarily framing the issue as a zero-sum game.

Realistically speaking, it matters little to the rest of the world whether Serbia cooperates with the status decision process or continues to be dragged along by Martti Ahtisaari. Even a final decision on Kosovo will mean no more to the CNN viewing audience than a ticker headline and a 20 second news story. But the longer the situation is drawn out, the more time remains for conflict and violent outbursts like that of March 2004. And any such violence, even when on a small scale, will quickly make headlines, giving journalistic America yet another opportunity to apply its own well worn slogan for Serbia: "the land ancient ethnic hatred."

Perhaps it would have been more worthwhile if the Serbian government, instead of paying for CNN airtime, had focused on keeping Serbia out of CNN coverage altogether.


good job luce,

Quote:
PM Kostunica has repeatedly trumpeted the slogan "Ne damo Kosovo," unnecessarily framing the issue as a zero-sum game.

nicely summarized!


Agreed

I totally agree; it's hard to imagine that the "enforcement" of the status quo regarding our burning issues - Kosovo and the war crimes tribunal- would ever result in visionary and inspirational national branding.


apples and oranges

"Perhaps it would have been more worthwhile if the Serbian government, instead of paying for CNN airtime, had focused on keeping Serbia out of CNN coverage altogether."

so, what's problematic here: the government's effort to advertize on CNN, or the way CNN is expected to cover the Kosovo status negotiations and/or the consequences of its pitfalls?


well,

since lucy's time is apparently too precious to waste it on us common commentators, i can only offer how i understood what lucy had said.

i believe that she is saying that keeping serbia from being mentioned in the negative context on CNN would be more efficient mean in encouraging people to visit, than running ads.

however, i'm not sure why she assumes that it is either-or situation, and that the government couldn't do both at the same time, even if one is more efficient than other. actually since those are not mutually exclusive projects, it's worth doing both for as long as NPV of either project is >0.


thank you

Thank you. That is what I meant.

And you're right, it doesn't have to be either or, but there do need to be priorities. Promoting a peaceful, defined future for Kosovo and the region should take that higher seat.

(And cut me some slack on response time. My computer's broken and thanks to the speed of Serbian computer assistance, which was only compounded by the holidays, its been in the shop for a month now)


A better promotional story

They should have used this :)

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/38646


hehe,

i should read the onion more :)


A missed opportunity

Former U.S. Ambassador in Belgrade, William Montgomery, once said something along the lines of "Serbs will never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity." Perhaps this CNN Moment is just another example of that.

The clips are too short and too banal and, as Lucy says, do nothing to redress the negative foreign views resulting from the news of the 1990s.

Maybe the promo video should have included clips of CNN news readers announcing such items as:

-"The Serbian Government defy public opinion by going ahead with the internationally required extraditions of senior army generals X, Y and Z to The Hague Tribunal";

-"Serbian President Tadić publicly apologises to the citizens of Srebrenica";

-"Following the death of Slobodan Milošević, thousands of Serbian citizens take to the streets of the nation's capital to protest against any possibility of a return to the disastrous policies of the former dictator's regime";

-"Serbia and Montenegro peacefully dissolve their state union and, despite the split, even manage to send a joint team to the football World Cup";

-"Serbian political leaders (except a few idiots with only hillbilly support) are united in their position that there could be absolutely no return to violence in Kosovo";

-"Serbia joins Nato's PfP programme, despite being at war with the Western Alliance just seven years ago".

-"Serbia signs a hugely important regional free trade agreement";

-"British winter holidaymakers flock to Serbia's Mount Kopaonik";

etc. etc.


Tourism and Kosovo?

I don't really see the connection between Kosovo and tourism in Serbia. If you wanted to write about the Kosovo issue, that's fine, but I think you used the CNN ad as a red herring for what you really wanted to talk about.

But assuming not, I agree that the CNN spot missed the mark completely. However, as a tourist, traveler, holiday-maker or whatever, the thing I look for in a tourist destination is a good time and not whether I agree with the particular country's political stance on an issue. I don't agree with the politics and corruption of a lot of countries I choose to visit. What draws me to them is that they are interesting and offer something unique, something I want to experience. Unfortunately, the Serbian CNN ad showed me absolutely nothing that would attract me to visit this country. Churches, birds flying....even if I wanted that, I could get it virtually anywhere.

What is interesting about Serbia, and particularly Belgrade, is that it is one of the few uncivilized, yet accessible places left to visit. When I use the term "uncivilized", I am referring to the way I understand New York City was in the 70's. Good nightlife, lots of street energy, a degree of lawlessness, no bans on smoking, the feeling that anything could happen, etc. This should have been the focus of the CNN ad and this should be the focus of any tourism campaign.

It seems that Serbia is a doing a poor job of promoting what it can offer the weekender -- a great time in a safe, accessible city (notwithstanding the cyrillic street signs) with great looking women and relatively few restrictions on behavior. Las Vegas publicizes these exact assets in its now long-running and successful campaign, "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas". It's time for Serbia to step up and do the same.


yes,

let's come up with the slogan...a place to get loose perhaps?

a place to get shitfaced and unruly, and it won't even get you arrested

yes, i would totally go to a place with a slogan like that...


Brook

you went but you are here, all the time. So, I guess, there must be something you like it here...Come on...


no, no

i seriously meant it. i love rowdy places, like say NO
(daiquiri drive-through...i'm there), so i'm sure campaign like that would attract me, no irony here, really.

ok, i'd love to stay and chat, but now i really got to go to work.....


in fact,

i love loose and rowdy so much, that i'm madly in love with NO, place where parents lose their daughters, and daughters lose their way..


Good Point!

Of corse, with diferent name of campaign...."What happens in Serbia stays in Serbia" :-))


or

"what happens in Serbia stays in Serbia until it cedes from Serbia".

Seriously though, I don't think that any tv campaign should be looking to attract tourists at all - we don't want Belgrade ending up like Prague (full of pissed up English idiots chanting supporters songs and getting into fights with Zemun youngsters / Rad supporters on Knez Mihailova; or full of camera-clicking Japanese smilers or fat Yanks invading Loki). Better for the few of us foreigners that do come here to keep quiet and keep Belgrade our little secret.

Alternatively, I think the campaign should have been targeting potential investors, like the Poland and Estonia videos that have been broadcast all over the place of late.


oh, c'mon

don't be so selfish.

and ouch! (and they tell me i'm cynical...)


Civlizing Serbia...

It seems that Serbia is a doing a poor job of promoting what it can offer the weekender


Or it is getting more civilised, for better or for worse...


Lucy, I think that they

Lucy, I think that they should put election campaign videos of LDP & Ceda Jovanovic on CNN instead of these video clips... that might satisfy you :) Seriously, how come Kosovo issue didn't stop you and many others to come to Serbia?


Profit before principle

I dont really see much of a connection between Kosovo's current status and Serbia as a tourist destination.

As far as the Cedomir Jovanovic Kosovo comment is concerned you must understand one thing - to many people living in this country Kosovo is not the most important issue. Living standards, education, even EU membership are more important.
If LDP are to persuade people like me to vote for them they will have to include social policies as well, rather than just serve me (neo?)liberalist ideology, hatred of Kostunica and an independent Kosovo. If you do hang with that crowd do ask them about their social policies, what they would do about employment, what they would do about poverty, what are their policies on the environment? What will they do to ensure that social justice is a priority in Serbia? And bear something else in mind, due to LDP's economic policies it IS the party of big business. Big businesses in Serbia may be (in their corrupt way) still supporting other parties as those parties will govern but it is LDP that will cut taxes for these business to increase their profit margins - all at the expense of the tax payer of course.

To return to the issue though, I do think that the advert was bland and not memorable but stongly disagree with you on your final point.

Remember that old adage about bad publicity being better than no publicity at all? This also applies to countries to believe it or not. If that seems like a cynical attitude, it probably is, but its the way this neoliberalistic world operates.

Profit before principle.


Voyeuristic Tourism

Bad publicity may remind the world that Serbia, a country the size of South Carolina, does exists, but it won't bring anything but a smattering voyeuristic war tourists. In terms of a real tourist industry and any sizable foreign investment, "bad publicity" is not better than no publicity.


But its not just about war

But its not just about war tourism Lucy - there is a whole mystique about those who (allegedly) like to do things their own way. That is part of Serbias selling point.
Of course with my 'intellectual' hat on I dislike and dont actually believe the ridiculous generalisations that people (and some Serbs themselves) like to make about Serbs and Serbia.
But on the other hand Serbia has to eek itself out a living and the tourism industry is as good as any. If jobs are created by exploiting the stereotypical nature of the tourist then so be it. 'Serbia is a wild country', if you must.

Do you come to Serbia (as a tourist) seeking clean streets, conformists, empty cafes, frustrated, introverted people?

You might ask what these questions have to do with the recent conflict in the region? My reply would be everything.

After all that happened in the region people expect a slightly wild (shall we say) experience in Serbia. Wild in terms of hedonism and partying etc but also in terms of safety. They know it already even if it might be based on generalisations fed to them in the 90's. There is a definite link here.

Life is cheaper in the Balkans - crossing roads is just one example. Who is to blame if a car runs you over? Why you of course - you should have been looking! Prison sentences for murder (or running people over) much less than elsewhere. You could easily fall into a pot hole on the sidewalk and break your leg - again your fault for not seeing it. Oh yes and do you fancy your chances in a Serbian state hospital if something like this should happen? Yeah of course you dont advertise this (and much more) but nevertheless it shows that the class of tourists you are thinking of wont want 'rough round the edges, bad boy Serbia'. They will go elsewhere.

So some suggest we wipe the slate clean and be forgotten as if Serbia will ever be remembered on merit when there are thousands of similar countries. In the meantime we sanitize and perhaps become more like Zagreb thats dead by midnight on weekdays. That is no kind of strategy.

I think that the kind of image change - either of sanatization or of removing Serbia for years from media coverage would spell disaster for Serbian tourism. Of course in the meantime Serbia should wash its buildings, clean its streets, mend its roads and improve customer service but it would be naieve (and would cost hundreds of potential jobs) to expect people to forget what Serbia was known for in the 90's.

Forget the adage, its also a lesson learnt throughout life - one should try to make the best of what one has.


Will you vote, Ganon? (in

Will you vote, Ganon? (in case you're reading this post-21st, did you vote? :))

Anyway, I don't see what Kosovo has to do with Serbian tourism.

Cyprus has been a problem for the past 32 years, yet people swarm the island every year.

ETA is planting bombs left and right - I don't see Spain's tourism suffering because of it.

Etc, etc...

The main problem are not the cheesy promo-spots on CNN (although I don't think they're all that bad) but the premature media campaign: Serbia's resorts are in no shape to welcome foreign tourists. Sorry - it's the truth. Aside from a few big name resorts, the rest need a lot of money put into them.


Cities, Beaches, Mountains

Good pub, bad pub. The bottom line is that tourists travel to and spend money in three places: cities, beach resorts, and mountain resorts. They go to cities for fun, culture, sightseeing, and/or shopping. They go to the mountains and the beach to be active and/or relax. Since Belgrade is fun (but not particularly cultural, architecturally interesting, or a place to get good deals on Dolce and Gabbana), the tourism industry should be focusing on the cafe scene and crazy nightlife. Likewise, since Serbia has mountains and ski resorts, that should be a priority for attracting tourism. Everywhere else is dead money.