[YouTube]
Lebanon Blues: Controversial campaign launched in 2011 by the Ministry of Tourism

Since we are obviously having a very bad touristic season, and need a decent marketing campaign (Unlike the 50-day 50% one) to attract tourists for the summer, I ask the Ministry of Tourism to organize a competition soon among universities by asking marketing and advertising students to come up with an ad/poster to promote tourism and give a reward to the winners.

All participants will be able to upload their ads (After being approved by their instructor and a panel of judges) on YouTube or Vimeo even if they don’t win the first prize. This will create a buzz and maybe produce a decent ad unlike the ones we’ve been seeing for the past few years. We need fresh and creative ideas and organizing such a competition will most certainly achieve that.

In my opinion, all ministries, not just the Tourism one, should adopt strategies to involve the young and promising generations in their projects and plans. Local TVs could play a crucial role here by creating a show and asking students from various universities to join in. TVs could facilitate a lot of things for participants such as providing the necessary equipment and studios.

Suggestions are more than welcome to enhance the idea proposed.

PS: If ministries don’t come up with such initiatives, I ask students to promote this idea to their instructors and university officials and try to make it work. They are the ones benefiting from it the most after all by getting a nation-wide exposure.