FROM “BOTTOMLESS BASKET” TO “BEAUTIFUL BANGLADESH”: TOURISM ADVERTISING AS PUBLIC DIPLOMACY TOOL

Abstract

This study measures the attitude toward Bangladesh, its people and its government among a group of international respondents from 40 different countries before and after watching a television commercial. This commercial, titled “School of Life” and part of the “Beautiful Bangladesh” campaign, was produced for the Bangladesh Tourism Board to attract international tourists to Bangladesh. It was the first of its kind in Bangladesh and launched during a major sporting event hosted in the country in 2011. This pre-post quasi-experimental survey results show that respondents had a significantly more positive perception about the country, its government and its people after watching the commercial though it did not have a significant effect on their intention to travel to Bangladesh. The results of the study concur with similar previous studies related to the bleed-over effect of tourism advertising and contribute to the growing literature of public diplomacy and nation branding.