Holden
Country Branding: Promoting Investment, Tourism and Exports through Country Communication Management and Social Engineering
By
Mathias Akotia, CEO – Brand Ghana Office Accra, Ghana
Country Branding: Promoting Investment, Tourism and Exports through Country Communication Management and Social Engineering
Abstract Country branding, which is about employing strategic marketing to promote a country’s identity, has become a strategic tool of a country’s competitiveness. However, only few developing countries have articulated and implemented a branding strategy. This paper examines the competitive advantage a country brand engenders for developing countries-in terms of exports, inward investment, tourism and positive image. Furthermore, emphasising country branding as a communication management and social engineering, this paper argues that there is more than persuasive rationale for a country branding strategy to integrate and to direct the full range of political, economic, cultural and social programmes towards national development, wealth creation and social cohesion.
Introduction The new marketing battle for tourism, inward investments and exports sales is intensifying by the day. Countries all over the world are shaping and re-shaping their national identities as they compete with neighbours, regional blocks for power, influence, prestige and wealth. Country branding has become a strategic tool and a process of a country’s competitiveness because having a reputation or none at all seriously reduces a country’s ability to compete at all levels (Brymer, 2003). Furthermore, it is not enough to be in possession of the truth (Anholt, 2003), the reality about one’s country must be communicated coherently and consistently. The notion that a country can be actively marketed to the rest of the world, for growth, tourism, trade, inward investment and positive image is not new. What is a novelty is the word “brand”. Observed Anholt (2003), marketing profession
By
Mathias Akotia, CEO – Brand Ghana Office Accra, Ghana
Country Branding: Promoting Investment, Tourism and Exports through Country Communication Management and Social Engineering
Abstract Country branding, which is about employing strategic marketing to promote a country’s identity, has become a strategic tool of a country’s competitiveness. However, only few developing countries have articulated and implemented a branding strategy. This paper examines the competitive advantage a country brand engenders for developing countries-in terms of exports, inward investment, tourism and positive image. Furthermore, emphasising country branding as a communication management and social engineering, this paper argues that there is more than persuasive rationale for a country branding strategy to integrate and to direct the full range of political, economic, cultural and social programmes towards national development, wealth creation and social cohesion.
Introduction The new marketing battle for tourism, inward investments and exports sales is intensifying by the day. Countries all over the world are shaping and re-shaping their national identities as they compete with neighbours, regional blocks for power, influence, prestige and wealth. Country branding has become a strategic tool and a process of a country’s competitiveness because having a reputation or none at all seriously reduces a country’s ability to compete at all levels (Brymer, 2003). Furthermore, it is not enough to be in possession of the truth (Anholt, 2003), the reality about one’s country must be communicated coherently and consistently. The notion that a country can be actively marketed to the rest of the world, for growth, tourism, trade, inward investment and positive image is not new. What is a novelty is the word “brand”. Observed Anholt (2003), marketing profession
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