B.T.B. wins US advertising award

A year ago in January, 1999, the Belize Tourism Board launched an aggressive ad campaign to boost tourism. The colorful ads highlighted the entertaining and adventurous activities visitors can enjoy in Belize. The Clarke and Pope Agency in the United States designed the campaign and their slogan, “Catch The Adventure: Belize, Mother Nature’s Best Kept Secret,” has not only been eye catching to millions of potential visitors, it also caught the eye of the League of Advertising Agencies in the United States. Today it was announced that B.T.B. is one of the recipients of the prestigious WOW Awards. The WOW Awards recognizes creativity and effective communication in the advertising industry. Belize will be receiving bronze medals for its 1999 consumer campaign and supporting brochure. Shakira Samuels, B.T.B.’s Senior Marketing Officer, told News Five that although there were over one thousand entries, Belize stood a good chance at winning an award.

Shakira Samuels, Senior Marketing Officer, B.T.B.

“I think so. There is a lot of creative direction that was put into coming up with the actual ads and when they came out they actually instilled a little bit more interest. So the creativity, I think, adds a lot to the piece that was actually developed and I think we stood a very good chance at winning.

I think the awareness level has certainly arisen and I think that adds to the efforts we have been putting in place with the different marketing initiatives that have been going on. We feel a little bit, we feel much better actually knowing that Belize is recognized more so, for all its diversities and natural attractions.”

B.T.B. says they will continue to work on aggressive marketing initiatives as they get ready to launch the first ever television advertising campaign in February.