Know-How Exchange : Branding

Hi Tomasz,

here are my answers:

What do you think about best Country Marketing strategies?
Positioning strategies work the best. What attractive elements does Poland have that other European countries don’t have? And how can a Poland create a positioning strategy by re-positioning or leveraging other countries’ positions to Poland’s advantage?


Any examples?
Positioning a Country: Belgium

The Michelin Guide rated five three-star cities in Belgium – Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Brussels and Tournai whereas Holland had only one three-star city -- Amsterdam.

So to re-position Holland, Belgium ran an advertising headline: “In Beautiful Belgium, there are five Amsterdams.”

This strategy hooked Belgium to the existing mindshare for Amsterdam, provided the credibility of the Michelin Guide and made Belgium a travel destination.
[Source: Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind]

Do you have any ideas how to create global image of Central Eastern European countries (especially of Poland)?
Yes, I suggest making this a project for the “Hire an Expert” section of this site.

Can "Poland" become a real Brand?
Yes, there is a great position for Poland out there waiting to be discovered. The answer will come from a process and good work.

Who should manage Country Marketing - goverment or private companies (like hotels, restaurants and so on) or both?
Both, either or – my view of “manage” means to provide funding, turn the project over to experts and participate in the process. (private companies probably do this better than governments)

What do you know of so far global experiences on above topics?
That the positioning and branding of countries is becoming more important as global markets develop. Now is a great time to address Poland’s position.

Hope this helps,

- Steve

The best way I ever saw a region promoted to to explain the real surprising things that the region has to offer.

Wasn't Marie Curie and Chopin from Poland, it might surprise most people, who and what came from Poland.

Use the tagline "IN Poland"

Good Luck

hi tnowos*

great response from Zahid, and SteveB. I agree with Zahid's observation on how the Govt. is thinking of the branding opportunities of POland.

BUT, before you brand Poland you must have an objective, what you want to project. There are certain countries that already have a brand of their own like Switzerland = Discreet Banking, Italy = Fashion, Argentina = Beef, Germany = Engineering, 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 countries, 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.

the Poland branding project should be done by experts and it should be managed by both Govt. and private sector. the Govt. will definitely fund the branding project and to be executed by the govt. and private sectors.

IMHO, Poland must be branded individually keeping mind the collective brand it is enjoying as part of EU. this collective branding is already being done by EU.

since POland has become a member of EU it is alreadyhaving a brand image. all the countries of EU will project a brand image to the external world (the consumers) who are increasingly fragmented also. SO the members of EU (here Poland) will also brand themselves individually internally (within EU) and extenally (outside EU) to avail more resources for growth and properity.

for example Poland will vie for more investment within EU and it will brand/project itself in that manner internally and also Extenally. Externally, because if it prospers the EU 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).

here are links to similar questions asked a few months back at this forum.

https://www.marketingprofs.com/ea/qst_question.asp?qstID=3907#27535

https://www.marketingprofs.com/ea/qst_question.asp?qstID=4259#29495


hope this helps.

cheers!!