Know-How Exchange : Branding

I think it's becoming clear that before you can impact perceptions (i.e., shape your brand image), you have to decide (a) what the objective is, (b) who your primary target audience is, and (c) where you stand today vis a vis your competition.

All of this sounds to me like a great candidate for a brand audit study, in which you survey a broad range of individuals (business, tourist, political, etc.) and ask them to rate several countries/brands on the attributes that count.

Then you map the results (graphically) to see which countries "own" which positionings among which groups, and where there might be an opportunity to either strengthen or change your own country's positioning.

These studies are standard operating procedure in many consumer goods companies, and there's no reason it cannot apply to branding a company.

The one thing you must NOT do is try to position a country (or any other product) as something it is not, or that is so unlikely to resonate with people that they'll dismiss the benefit promise completely. Ideally, you'd build on something they already believe about the country -- i.e., consistent with their existing perceptions about the brand -- and make that the cornerstone of your positioning.

As I think about the challenge, however, the biggest problem of all is that you have to deliver on your brand promise, and it could be difficult to get 100% of the population to behave in a way that's consistent with your positioning. (This presumes the promise is dependent on the behavoir or attitude of the population.)

Very interesting challenge. Are you actually responsible for this? Mary Wells (co-founder of Wells Rich Green Advertising agency) took on a similar project for the US government a few years ago. Not sure if she considers her experience very satisfying, but she brought a traditional consumer packaged goods marketing mindset to the US government at the time.

hi amit (aks)

great response from Jackson, SteveB and mgoodman.

yes before you brand any country you must have an objective, what you want to project. There are certain countries that already have a brand of their own (the examples given by jackson). if i add to that China=World's Factory, Japan=Technological Excellence etc.

Countries brand themselves for various reasons. In case of developing and growing nations, they brand themselves mostly for tourism (i.e Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong etc.). See the example of Malaysia's ads in which it projects itself as the ultimate tourist destination. it has got campaigns like
Tourism Malaysia. same is done by THailand through its SHowcase THailand campaigns.

For countries of Low/Negetive Population Growth, population imbalance they brand themselves as the ideal/heavenly place to live in (i.e. Nordic countrie, Canada). Canada ask for people around the world to migrate in varoius categories.

Countries that are struggling with economy but with potentials and want to grow they are branding them as Investment Destination (South Asian countries, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, African Countries etc.). Although now-a-days every country in the world is vying to get a share of the FDI pie.

Despite the fact that countries integrating politically and economically, countries will continue to brand themselves for survival.

like SteveB said, teh situation is like brands in P&G. all the countries of EU or ASEAN will project a brand image to the external world (the consumers) who are increasingly fragmented also. SO the members of EU or ASEAN will also brand themselves individually for internally (within EU) and extenally (outside EU) to avail more resources for growth and properity.

for example Poland or Vietnam will vie for more investment withing EU or ASEAN and it will brand/project itself in that manner internally and also Extenally. Externally, because if it prospers the EU/ASEAN prospers and the collective brand image enhanced.

What Poland might offer to a consumer individually might not be offered by other members of EU. So the consumer will think EU is a good place for investment (for example), the EU brand image. BUT the consumer will invest in Poland because of its cheap labour, access to a large market etc. (individual Brand,Poland).

so the collective brand as well as the individual country brand will remain, IMHO.

hope this helps.

cheers!!