An introduction to robust national branding (including a case study of Poland) Jeremy Hildreth Budapest, 28 November 2006

Today national branding: a primer our work in Poland: the Polska national reputation and branding programme some advice for Hungary

national branding: a primer

our work in Poland: the Polska national reputation and branding programme

some advice for Hungary

Today national branding: a primer our work in Poland: the Polska national reputation and branding programme some advice for Hungary

national branding: a primer

our work in Poland: the Polska national reputation and branding programme

some advice for Hungary

At its best, a national brand: helps people understand the nation. provides a ‘headline’ (or headlines) for a number of attractive stories. works for multiple audiences and economic sectors (not just tourism). has emotion—and truth—behind it.

helps people understand the nation.

provides a ‘headline’ (or headlines) for a number of attractive stories.

works for multiple audiences and economic sectors (not just tourism).

has emotion—and truth—behind it.

many national brands today are not really brands, just the trappings of brands.

brand > logo

brand > tourism slogan

‘ Discover ________’

‘ Discover ________’

Quebec Jamaica Turkey Iceland Brazil Chile Papua New Guinea Mexico Indonesia Japan Australia Dubai Portugal Nicaragua Latvia Ecuador Southeast Crete Zimbabwe Eastern Sierra Kenya The United States Guatemala Bihar (India) Ethiopia Bahrain Nepal Namibia Morocco Tibet Rajasthan South Korea Britain Brittany Normandy Venezuela Pakistan San Bernadino County (Calif.) Murcia (Spain) Finland Kosovo Bhutan Italy Norway Spain The Pyrenees Tashkent (Uzbekistan) 69+ Texas (US) Mozambique Kansas (US) Idaho (US) The Middle East Urumqi (China) Iran Malta South Africa Thailand India Cornwall (England) Scotland Russia Costa Rica Tunisia Israel Egypt Alaska Mali Northern Sweden Vietnam Canada Or would you like to be a ‘land of contrasts’?

‘ The essence of Europe’ ‘ In the heart of Europe’ ‘ A cool country with a warm heart’ ‘ A small country with a big heart’ ‘ The green piece of Europe’ ‘ Centre of Europe’ Czech Republic Estonia Slovenia Hungary Lithuania Slovakia

‘ The essence of Europe’

‘ In the heart of Europe’

‘ A cool country with a warm heart’

‘ A small country with a big heart’

‘ The green piece of Europe’

‘ Centre of Europe’

brand > free kurtoskalacs

strong nation brands stand for something

brand export public diplomacy tourism investment nation

brand export public diplomacy tourism investment idea

For maximum effectiveness… How a nation talks and behaves in terms of: tourism investment brand export public diplomacy should be interrelated

How a nation talks and behaves in terms of:

tourism

investment

brand export

public diplomacy

should be interrelated

getting it right: Norway

getting it right:

Norway

core idea: nature and harmony

core idea:

nature and harmony

‘ Any decent doctor would prescribe Norway ’

a strong national brand stands for something and does it with: authenticity distinctiveness style emotion and coordination

and does it with:

authenticity

distinctiveness

style

emotion

and coordination

Today national branding: a primer our work in Poland: the Polska national reputation and branding programme some advice for Hungary

national branding: a primer

our work in Poland: the Polska national reputation and branding programme

some advice for Hungary

create a national brand for Poland.

create a national brand for Poland.

research how Poland is presented and perceived internally and externally journey what's remarkable, what's new, what's unknown interviews inside and outside Poland upwards of 110 in about 10 countries what we did: investigation (2004)

our mission: gather material to create a brand for Poland embracing the nation’s unique qualities— a core idea

gather material to create a brand for Poland embracing the nation’s unique qualities—

a core idea

the view from outside 2004

What is the population of Poland? Name four Polish cities? Name a Polish writer? A film-maker? A composer? A poet? What religious beliefs? What political system? Name a Polish politician? What sort of industries? Name a Polish product? Would you consider a holiday in Poland? What is the climate like? Is Poland big or small? Is it a member of the European Union? Who is currently the world’s most famous Pole?

What is the population of Poland? Name four Polish cities? Name a Polish writer? A film-maker? A composer? A poet? What religious beliefs? What political system? Name a Polish politician? What sort of industries? Name a Polish product? Would you consider a holiday in Poland? What is the climate like? Is Poland big or small? Is it a member of the European Union? Who is currently the world’s most famous Pole?

where are you from? from Poland wow, Holland, I was there! no, I’m not from Holland I’m from Poland ...oh

They don’t know about Poland.

They don’t know about Poland.

3. The nation brand

specific national perceptions

older Germans are disdainful of Poles Polnische Wirtschaft “ vacation in Poland, your car’s already there” a threat to jobs in Germany

older Germans are disdainful of Poles

Polnische Wirtschaft

“ vacation in Poland, your car’s already there”

a threat to jobs

Polish/French historical ties Polish intelligentsia and romantic perceptions of 19th century emotional ties, lots of people of Polish descent in France

Polish/French historical ties

Polish intelligentsia and romantic perceptions of 19th century

emotional ties, lots of people of Polish descent

the view from inside 2004

the older generation pessimism a historic nation messianic people defensive, protective inferiority complex traditional culture and values dichotomy romanticism/positivism conflicted national consciousness

the younger generation Europeans, like the rest permeate the EU a contemporary nation market economy generation patriotism is not a big issue anti-establishment optimistic uncertainty

lack of self-esteem undervalued misunderstood short-termism westernism gloominess individualism resourcefulness imaginativeness resilience nonconformism openness common traits + —

lack of self-esteem

undervalued

misunderstood

short-termism

westernism

gloominess

our view 2004

Poland is unique for its dualities East and West regional strengths and national pride passion and practicality ambition and acceptance patience and restlessness tumult and achievement folk art and high culture religious fervour and scepticism being of today and respecting yesterday charm and toughness right brain flair and left brain pragmatism

East and West

regional strengths and national pride

passion and practicality

ambition and acceptance

patience and restlessness

tumult and achievement

folk art and high culture

religious fervour and scepticism

being of today and respecting yesterday

charm and toughness

right brain flair and left brain pragmatism

what we did next: feedback and idea development reviewed our findings with opinion leaders identified key concepts examined potential problem areas developed and articulated a single core idea

work on both an emotional and a rational level be big enough to accommodate Poland's long-term ambitions have something for each audience be easy to explain and understand gain commitment from all parties and above all… the core idea should

work on both an emotional and a rational level

be big enough to accommodate Poland's long-term ambitions

have something for each audience

be easy to explain and understand

gain commitment from all parties

and above all…

be unique to Poland – and true

core idea for Poland: creative tension

Poland draws its personality, power and perpetual motion from a wealth of apparently opposing characteristics. These tensions create a restlessness unsatisfied with the status quo, and a boisterousness that’s always stimulating and often astonishing. This creative tension is why Poland produces so many entrepreneurs, artists and sportspeople; it’s why Poland is constantly evolving, sometimes tumultuously; and it’s why Poles have always tried to achieve the seemingly impossible—and often succeeded. creative tension

Poland draws its personality, power and perpetual motion from a wealth of apparently opposing characteristics.

These tensions create a restlessness unsatisfied with the status quo, and a boisterousness that’s always stimulating and often astonishing.

This creative tension is why Poland produces so many entrepreneurs, artists and sportspeople; it’s why Poland is constantly evolving, sometimes tumultuously; and it’s why Poles have always tried to achieve the seemingly impossible—and often succeeded.

tourism foreign direct investment public diplomacy export communications/media and many others we discussed the core idea exhaustively with

tourism

foreign direct investment

public diplomacy

export

communications/media

and many others

broad support.

broad support.

epitomizes Polish “ paradoxicality ” encompasses “ contrasting nature ” of Poland allows “ wide scope of themes ” offers “ something for everyone ” they liked it because it

epitomizes Polish “ paradoxicality ”

encompasses “ contrasting nature ” of Poland

allows “ wide scope of themes ”

offers “ something for everyone ”

“ Poland is X” “ but Poland is also Y”

EXPLANATORY ASPIRATIONAL

it explains. it teaches. it helps people understand Poland. it sets expectations and manages them. and it works for all four vectors…

it explains.

it teaches.

it helps people understand Poland.

it sets expectations and manages them.

and it works for all four vectors…

brand export public diplomacy tourism investment idea

what comes next (2007) expressing the brand visually, verbally, experientially coordinating what others are doing Tourism, investment, foreign affairs, regional development, the cities, Expo bids creating a ‘Brand Polska’ network Task forces, brand champions and other interested parties— to swap ideas and take the programme inward, outward, onward and upward

Today national branding: a primer our work in Poland: the Polska national reputation and branding programme some advice for Hungary

national branding: a primer

our work in Poland: the Polska national reputation and branding programme

some advice for Hungary

a strong national brand can elevate Hungary from being ‘just ano ther former Eastern Bloc country’ to being some particular kind of special, intriguing, desirable place to be .

a strong national brand will give Hungary credit for its achievements and recognition for what it can contribute to the world.

a strong national brand will allow people to see ‘Hungarian-ness’, to know what that means, and to value it.

the task is: to work out what is special and interesting about Hungary. and then: convey that – visually, verbally, experientially – so that people understand Hungary and are attracted to it.

the task is:

to work out what is special and interesting about Hungary.

and it must be more than a destination brand – it must be a national brand why?

there is only one Hungary .

whether you say: have a holiday here invest here base your business here buy things made here it is always the same here . it is always Hungary.

have a holiday here

invest here

base your business here

buy things made here

it is always the same here .

it is always Hungary.

So…stand for something and convey that with: authenticity distinctiveness style emotion and coordination

and convey that with:

authenticity

distinctiveness

style

emotion

and coordination

how do you do it?

how do you do it?

set up the administration explore and research define the brand idea (and the ways it may be modulated to serve different interests) gather ideas for articulation and expression build domestic support for the programme stage 1 – development of the brand: Timescale: about three months

set up the administration

explore and research

define the brand idea (and the ways it may be modulated to serve different interests)

gather ideas for articulation and expression

build domestic support for the programme

robust, more-than-cosmetic expression visually – a symbol, colours, image style verbally – straplines, stories, talking points experientially – ‘touchpoints’ including environments (e.g., arrival halls, embassies, tourism bureaus abroad) stage 2 – articulation of the brand: Timescale: another three months

robust, more-than-cosmetic expression

visually – a symbol, colours, image style

verbally – straplines, stories, talking points

experientially – ‘touchpoints’ including environments (e.g., arrival halls, embassies, tourism bureaus abroad)

figure out what the main authorities will do to launch the brand (including attending to hygiene factors and devising brand-centric projects) establish task forces and brand champions ‘ seed’ the brand through training and collaboration involve as many constituencies as possible stage 3 – pre-launch of the brand: Timescale: about two months

figure out what the main authorities will do to launch the brand (including attending to hygiene factors and devising brand-centric projects)

establish task forces and brand champions

‘ seed’ the brand through training and collaboration

involve as many constituencies as possible

support independent initiatives coordinate and influence ‘every’ activity that bears on Hungary’s image search for potential flagship brands stage 3 – pre-launch (con’t): Timescale: about two months

support independent initiatives

coordinate and influence ‘every’ activity that bears on Hungary’s image

search for potential flagship brands

launch it nurture it monitor it (track the results) benchmark it be patient stage 4 – launching and sustaining the brand: Timescale: ad infinitum

launch it

nurture it

monitor it (track the results)

benchmark it

be patient

important : the brand can only be made to work by convincing people that it’s to their advantage to use it.

important : the brand can only be made to work by convincing people that it’s to their advantage to use it.

co-ordination. support. involvement. not arm twisting.

co-ordination.

support.

involvement.

not arm twisting.

a national brand must belong to the citizens. if it works for them then it will work.

a national brand must belong to the citizens.

if it works for them

then it will work.

time scale 20 years plus

time scale

20 years plus

Thank you. K öszönöm .