A brand is more than just a label but involves a combination of attributes -tangible and intangible- that is communicated through a name, or a symbol that influences a thought process in the mind of an audience and then creates value (Grimaldi 2003). According to the American Marketing Association (2009) a brand is a customer experience represented by a collection of images and ideas and it refers to a symbol such as a name, logo, slogan and design scheme. A brand only exists in the minds of consumers and bringing out only a positive effect at the mention or the sight of a brand is the main aim of having a brand (Shield 2009)
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Understanding what your brand is all about and evaluating what the present perceptions are and how to change it (Mandell 2008) is extremely important if the aim is to make your product stand out and chosen. If a brand can bring out a relevant and positive emotion in a consumers long term memory then that brand has achieved its objective (Shield 2009)
In this competitive world differentiating between products due to their ease in substitution and duplication is very important as the combination of a brand name and brand significance has become the very important asset in differentiating contexts (Kotler and Gertner 2002).
The principle of branding has exceeded its traditional uses and is presently being used for anything even cities, countries or regions. Popularly termed 'place branding' (also termed destination branding, place marketing and place promotion) it is the practice of applying marketing and branding principles to states, cities and nations in order to attract residents, tourists, businesses and ultimately revenue thereby turning the places to destinations (Guiragossian 2008)
The level of influence or relevance of a nation and its credibility or respect in international politics, business and --- is determined by their positive image building and good image sustenance (Ajayi 2006)
Nigeria is a nation with a population of about 140 million. In the last decade Nigeria has gone through several changes significant amongst them is the change from military dictatorship to civilian rule (Ayodele O. 2009). The continous military rule led to what the UNDP called 'executive lawlessness and human rights abuses' (Ojo 2006) Nigeria has had several 'branding' schemes started by the government such as the WAI (War Against Indiscipline), National Orientation Agency, (MAMSER) Mass Mobilization for Self-Reliance and Social Justice and the Heart of Africa Project. Most of these projects were either poorly conceived with high and lofty aims but poorly executed. They were also used as ways to siphon and embezzle public funds (reference)
In 2004 Nigeria initiated a government branding project called the Nigeria Image Project (Nworah 2005)
In this study context place branding and country branding will be used interchangeably
Nigeria's movie industry is the third largest (by numbers) in the world after Hollywood and Bollywood. Popurlarly called Nollyood its growth has become phenomenal and has grown to a $250 million industry (Evuleocha 2008). There are upto 300 producers in Nigeria each producind a range of 500-1000 movies a year with each movie selling an average of 50000 copies for $2 a copy (Evuleocha 2008). This is a huge profit line for each producer and its impact in the African continent is phenomenal. Its popularity is widespread in the African continent and beyond (reference)
Other than the financial impact, its impact on the way Nigeria is viewed has also been affected. Based on the perception of other African countries on how Nigeria is viewed.(reference)
A consistent brand message that is consistent with international messages (reference)
1.1 OBJECTIVE OF RESEARCH
This research aims to establish the extent to which the choice of measures used in country branding are related to the cultural and historical background of the country.
Using the mixed method strategy which involves conducting interviews and administration of questionnaires, the research explores the possibilities of supporting a Nigeria's branding approach while learning from other countries experiences
1.2 SCOPE OF RESEARCH
This paper will research the process of branding as it concerns destination branding (tourism)
Nigeria has an estimated population of 140 million people (National population Commission NPC 2007) and is the most populous country in Africa.
This research covers branding on a National level with emphasis on culture and tourism in Nigeria.
In the context of this research place, nation, country and destination branding will be used interchangeably.
1.3 STRUCTURE OF DISSERTATION
Chapter 2 contains review of published literature on branding places and the relevance of culture in order to promote tourism from a global and from a Nigerian perspective
Chapter3 explains the methodology used in this research which includes methods, procedures and techniques used to collect information about Nation branding
Chapter 4 reports and discusses the results obtained from the studies conducted in the course of research work. This would explain the results obtained
Chapter 5 discusses a set of conclusions and recommendations
end product
Place branding is the process of branding places (Vedel 2009)
CHAAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Marketing
According to Ferrel and Lucas (1987) the definition of marketing is still being argued due to various definitions of the term.
Marketing is not just advertising (reference) neither is it just collecting information on new prospects or ventures(reference). Marketing is much more (reference).
Marketing is determining who your customers are, what they want, identifying the products that would suit each niche market - customer. This is considered a more market oriented approach (Gonroos 1990 )
Ferrel and Lucas (1987) suggest that marketing should be defined according to the 'perception' of reality 'or based on the context being used
The American Marketing Association has defined marketing as . This definition has also faced criticism in that it is viewed as not too broad a definition that can be acceptable universally (Hunt 1976)
The decision on how to market a product or service has been key issue in every company's objective (reference).
Many countries feel that they can successfully market their countries as a brand just as products are successfully branded. But the question of why a country would want to brand itself or subject itself to this ideology is a question most critics would ask.
International Strategic Marketing
Marketing to a domestic Market is extremely different from marketing to an international market (http://sbinfocanada.about.com/od/canadaexport/a/10exportsteps_2.htm)
International marketing is the application of marketing principles across international boundaries (Doole and Lowe 2001), the performance of business activities that direct the flow of a companys goods and services to consumers or users in more than one nation for a profit (Cateora and Ghauni 1999)
The idea of marketing products internationally brings up the problem of strategy. Should the market mix be standardized? Its advantages include a reduced cost and a strong brand (Reis and Reis) But should the marketing Mix be adapted to each individual local market. As a company product this might prove a lot easier than doing the same for a country and ofcourse the disadvantages of having a diluted brand comes to mind
This includes advertising
Critisiscm
Several authors have criticized Kotler and Levy's (1969) view of marketing particularly referring to the lack of precise borders given (reference), the inclusion of any and every activity that might be construed as marketing (Luck 1969)
'Branding has generally been associated with products and services, global companies and corporations and corporations and their marketing communications agencies have continued to create and use branding as a distinguishing and strategic competitive factor in the market place, and also in the battle for consumers.'(Nworah U 2005)
Place Branding
In 1998 Simon Anholt wrote an article suggesting that nations can be branded in the same was as consumer products or services (Mesa 2007)but though this article was widely heralded as a new paradigm he did accept that there wasn't a theory for branding that was broadly accepted.
Destination branding evolved from various research which included place branding and marketing (Hanna and Rowley 2008) Though destination branding is a relatively new theory (Gnoth 1998) the idea of destinations having images has been there for sometime (reference)
Marketing places requires "a special type of marketing" (Ashworth 1993 p:648) and not much attention has been given to developing a theory for destination branding. There has been criticism on the idea that destination branding is theoretical and has any conceptual framework (Baloglu and McClearly 1999)
There seems to be a general consensus that places can be branded just as well as products and services are branded (references) Places such as countries have the same attributes as that of a maybe a normal consumer product or service (reference) The branding of places though is more complex.
Olins 2002 explains that though there might be a semblance between product branding and place branding it is far from being the same. Kotler agrees with this fundamentally in that when a product is launched it can build on the picture already provided in the mind of the consumer and can even be modified should it not meet the requirements of the users. But branding a country is vastly different as there are some restrictions and limitations that would make it difficult to do.
The aim of place branding is to create awareness of nations, cities and regions to potential tourists, investors, its residents or new labours Vedel 2009The question could be asked as to if a place could be branded. Rathke (2008) asked a very pertinent question, if your country was a brand would you buy it?
Though research have been conducted in destination branding there seems to be no demarcation between destination branding and how a destinations image is formed (Cai 2002)
The acceptance of the importance of the value of branding is due to the perception that having a strong brand is due to brand equity (Cai 2002)
The idea that the tourism industry is not an industry in a traditional sense as such has been contested by some authors (Leiper and Smith in Gnoth 2002)
The idea that branding destinations and creating a brand image is getting popular though the mere scale of using this process is large and might not be as straightforward as it would seem initially which explains why several countries find it difficult to use this prospect (Gnoth 2002).
According to Anholt most countries are not sure about what they are required to do and as such find it difficult to brand the nation other than creating a tourism destination (reference)
The branding of places is growing and increasingly becoming common place due to the globalization and merging of companies (reference). The changes that have occurred in the international marketing place have even affected the relationships between nations and companies with their roles being interchanged. Nations are emphasizing nationality and use business language to explain their productivity while companies are increasingly reducing the emphasis placed on nationality and emphasize the soft issues such as green issues and recycling e.t.c. (Olins 2000)
Papdopoulous and Heslop (2002) suggest the possibility of country's being successfully positioned in order to have a competitive advantage over other countries.
There are many examples of cities branding themselves for as far back as the 19th century. A pertinent example is France that has consistently rebranded itself particularly after any significant change in government or form of government (Olins ). According to Mesa (2007) Branding a country could be easier as a non democratic or dictatorship government in order to fully integrate and combine every message to present a unified brand as would be done in a corporate organization
Thomas Cromwell in Mesa (2007) Corporations use their SWOT in great detail while branding themselves strongly emphasizing their strengths while branding a nation would require that it is positioned based on both its strengths and weakness
Recognizing that there is a difference between destination branding and image formation is fundamental to tourism (Cai 2002)
Brands are usually used to differentiate between products and such a brand name and significance has become the core competitive asset in different contexts Kotler and Gertner 2002
National branding can raise the moral
Places that have a positive brand image have the advantage of things being easier for the companies, citizens and products from that place (Anholt 2008) but those with a negative image find out that even if they or their citizens achieve anything outside it is always harder for them to overcome a stereotype that is always placed in them Anholt 2008
According to Frost (2004) the reputation of a country is extremely important and can even be viewed as a 'powerful currency' capable of deciding how a country is viewed and related to in the global politics and economy.
Ekeh 2009 enlightens that the word rebranding has now become a synonyms for corrective attitudinal change. A successful rebranding process should end with a clear picture of the
Elements of nation Branding
According Dinnie (reference) there 3 elements of Nation Branding, the Brand Identity, the Brand Image and the brand Positioning
Nation Identity and National Image
The national Brand Identity is the reflection of what that nations character truely is while the Brand image is what it is perceived to be(Dinnie) the difference between these two is mostly mirrored in the way people speak about the place and how eager they are to go there (REFERENCE)
This gap is between a Country's identity and A country's image is more than ever before increasingly being subjected to a possibility of change or complete removal. The issue of sterotype and clichés inhabit most of the worlds perception of various parts of the World. The African continent is constatntly being subjected to a perception of being poverty and disease stricken with poor or nonexistent governance as well as a high level of corruption, crime and violence (Reference). A lot people cannot differentiate between one country or the other while some even view Africa as a country on its own (reference).
Nation Branding is the new concept in which the objective is to reduce this gap between reality and perception and one of the innovative ways that has worked for several countries including New Zealand, India and even Kenya is through their Tourism sector (reference)
Positioning
Kotler and keller 2006 "Postioining is the act of designing the company's offering and image to occupy a distinctive place in the minds of consumer"
Most tourist destination branding advertisements or campaign unfortunately do not differentiate between what is obtainable in their own country and what is obtainable elsewhere (reference). The campaigns seem general and broad (reference) which has therefore given rise to the realization that a higher predominance for 'cultural tourism' comes about (reference)
Several countries have successfully postioned their countries in order to stand out. South Africa - 'Alive with posibilites', Malaysia - 'Truly Asia', India - India shining, Scotland - 'the best small country in the world' e.t.c
The objective of place branding is to create awareness of nations, cities and regions to potential tourists, investors, its residents or new labour (Vedel 2009)
Countries use branding to promote a self image which was a relative perogative of companies. Recently various countries have taken advantage of using logos and not just their image which is to help differentiate or distinguish them (Kimball Derek 2009)
Country of Origin Effect
Unlike marketing a product which is done on its own sole purpose, marketing a country has many reasons to it one of which is the most important - increase in the gross domestic ouput of the country or in simple words increasing the economic situation of a country as a whole.
In a rejoinder to the crititiscm by Luck() Kotler and Levy(1969b) suggest that the view of marketing is as it is presently constituted is too narrow minded. With the advent of nation Branding and other forms of marketing Kotler seems to have been proven right in that regard. As most place marketers would tell you 'only time will tell' reference)
The growing importance of CSR by organizations and the branding of everything from water to services further shows the widening scope of marketing (reference)
Kotler and Levy(1969a) suggest that the whole idea of marketing is not totally based on just marketing of products by companies but gives examples of politicians when campaigning, student recruitment as a form of marketing by educational institutions
Kotler likens the branding of a Nation, Country, Place or destination to Branding a Product and Based on that I would want to show it is very possible despite the limitations Olins has placed on such a manoeuvre using the simple principles of maeketing aproduct -the 4P's
Examples of Countries that have rebranded
Factors taken into account when different countries Brand themselves
Malaysia, Australia and South Africa
South Africa
South Africa's branding campaign tagged Proudly South Africa was launched in 2001. With the marketing of the brand slogan to the local residents with the companies accepting the brand and logo and integrating with their own personal branding strategy. The rate of success has been researched to show a 71% brand awareness with 21% of the 42% of people who purchase the branded goods have actively sought logo (reference)
South Africa has gone through several wars. The
The South African Brand was campaign was launched in October 2001 with the phrase 'Proudly South African- alive with possibilities'. It was once the top pariah nation in Africa with its background in apartheid. With the ending of apartheid and a need to relaunch themselves in the international realm, there were several
Malaysia
Malaysia used to be considered an uneventful place that had nothing to offer but this view changed right after the first Commonwealth games hosted by an Asian nation in September 1998 (Muda 1998). The event put Malaysia on the international map and there has been no going back since then.
http://www.brandchannel.com/features_profile.asp?pr_id=200
Malaysia became an independent state in September 1963. It has a population of approximately25million people as at2009 and its main product of export is petroleum, rubber and oil (reference). The advent of International Tourism focus by the government led to a sharp increase in GDP (Wells 1982)
http://www.hbp.usm.my/tourism/Papers/paper_cultural.htm
Malaysia won several awards for their Nation Branding project with the theme 'Malaysia Truely Asia' Malaysia has become one of the top areas for destinations and tourists
Nigeria and Branding
Generally African countries find it difficult to brand themselves due to the unfortunate lack of general amenities, the corruption, war and abject poverty which doesn't endear potential tourists with the continent (reference). For African countries, when it comes to developing their countries nation branding seems to be the best option (reference). The difficulty of consumers buying any products from most African countries leads them to explore the most likely source of revenue based on their situation - tourism (reference)
Based on this the influx of interest by African countries on changing the perception of the global economy is expected.
Creating a predetermined program in order to create a definitive
Nigeria's branding project is the idea that a singular perception can be created whereby there is no other product or service like theirs in the market (Ofose 2010) but like marketing a product there has to be a certain segment that is being primarily marketed to and targeted (reference)
One of the main challenges of Nigeria's branding program is the lack of a clear singular theme whereby different campaigns that might include exports, inward investments (FDI), and even tourism (reference)
Tourism promotion has the highest impact on attitudes and is the easiest option when countering already known prejudice about a country (reference). Based on this there have been suggestions that Tourism is the best option for Nigeria to focus on.
Poor Image
The recent terrorist attack by a Nigerian on a plane in Detroit on the 26th December 2009 has also added to the negative image Nigeria already has, one in which Nigeria has been on a borderline with- a terrorist state (reference)
A survey conducted by Transparency International put Nigeria as the third most corrupt country
There is a lack of a recognized and established terminology in research as it concerns branding (Chernatony and Dall'olmo 1998)
In consumer marketing, brands provide the primary points of differentiation between competitive offerings and as such they can be critical to the success of companies (Wood L 2000).
According to Chernatony and Dall'olmo (1998)The brand can be seen as a legal instrument, logo, a company, a risk system, an identity system, an image in consumers' minds, as a value system, as a personality, a relationship as adding value, as an evolving entity (Chernatony and Dall'olmo 1998)
Brands and branding have become a dominant feature of contemporary living (Arvidsson A 2006)
Nation branding is a relatively new concept in Marketing or Branding though the general effect of country image (Country of Origin equity) on consumers preferences in purchasing goods or services has been around for several years (papadopolous and Heslop 2002)
Unlike products or corporate brands, nation brands are not under the control of marketers((papadopolous and Heslop 2002)
(papadopolous and Heslop 2002 Countries have to market different products in other to distinct itself from other countries
A special type of marketing is required when marketing places as brands (Ashworth 1993)
According to Harkinson 2009 there are 5 critical antecedants of successful destination branding: stakeholder partnerships, brand leadership, departmental coordination, brand communications and brand culture
Though Kouboaa's (2008) research is limited by dealing with just one product among a culturally similar respondents showed that the image of a country of origin affects the perception of the brand.
The importance of brands and branding to market share growth and product success cannot be over emphasized Nworah brandchannel
If a nation branding program is done successfully, there is huge potential for any country ((papadopolous and Heslop 2002)
Olins (2002) explains that though people find it difficult to what the essence of rebranding a country is all about. There might be a semblance between product branding and place branding but the idea that it is the same could be termed as incorrect or erroneous.
Kotler () agrees fundamentally with Olins. Stating that the launching of a product can build on the perception that it gives which can even be modified to suit the requirements of its users and consumers but a country has different characteristics, restrictions or limitations that will make it impossible for it to do the same.
There are so few relevant literature because according to Ollins W (1999) it is a 'novel concept' and
Anholt (2008) states that 'the brand image of places is essential in a nation's progress and prosperity'. Due to the way the world has advanced and grown and due to globalization there has risen a tendency for several regions, countries, city must be in competition with others (reference) this means that a lot of places would need a strong brand image as a very critical factor for making an informed buying decision (reference) Though it was limited by dealing with just one product among culturally similar respondents Kouboaa (2008) research showed that the image of a country of origin affects the perception of the brand.
Marketing Mix
The marketing mix was developed in order to simplify the procedures and aspects needed in order to successfully launch a new product in the market or relaunch an old one (reference).
The marketing has been the mnemonics The 6P's (Kotler 1986 reference) or The 7P's (reference) but the most popular is the 4P's which stand for Product, Place, Price and Promotion.
Product - In the traditional sense Product would refer the intrinsic value given by
Using this marketing mix the idea of re branding of Nigeria will be carefully considered bearing in mind the particular influence of culture and tourism when this is done in other countries namely Kenya and Malaysia.
Aspects of nation Branding
Governance: According to Anholt (reference) this is perceived as
People:
Investment/immigration:
Exports:
Culture: Culture is a significant
There is a general lack of transparency on how much of this advertising is effective (Bowman J. http://nation-branding.info/2010/03/13/great-cnbc-story-on-nation-branding/)
According to Gerladine Manz-Christ, Nation branding is measurable when done with a
There have been contentions on the whole idea of tourism as an industry (Davidson in Theobald 2005)
Tourism:
Emphasis would be placed on the last two aspects of nation Branding
Culture
Culture is very significant to an individual in that it gives the individual his own identity as well as codes of conduct (Czinkota and Ronkainen 2004) `
Culture is the common way of thinking and behaving that is learned, shared reinforced by social pressure sometimes described as a programming of the mind (Hoftstede 1981, Czinkota and Ronkainen 2004)
When companies are introducing a product internationally considerations are made as it concerns how that product would be received in that particular country. A popular example is that of McDonalds entered India and had to change their beef burgers to chicken and fish burgers because in India their culture made cows sacred.
Elements of Culture
According to Czinkota and Ronkainen (2004) there are several elements of culture that are very significant in order to market a product internationally
Language: Some of the most important aspect of Culture is the language. Language does not just consist solely of the verbal buit alos include the non verbal (reference) messages particularly in defining a product, it most be conveyed in a manner that would not be misunderstood in a general sense (reference)
The non verbal aspect of culture is especially important particular when branding either a product or a country. A recent example could be seen with the jailing of two British tourists in Dubai who have a culture against kissing in public and have even made it into law (reference) while it would be left to be seen the effect this would have on further tourists into the region, the importance of communication cannot be underestimated.
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Religion: Religion has an effect on international marketing of products and services (Czinkota and Ronkainen 2004) this could also be extended to that of a country. India is known as a predominately a Hindi Country. It is not only seen as a religion but a way of life by them . Based on this products that are targeted to them would need something different
Values and Attitudes: Cultural attitudes are not a detereent to foreign business goods or activities Czinkota and Ronkainen 2004. But it should be noted not all brands can translate from culture to another Czinkota and Ronkainen 2004) but if a product can get into the international culture of the target market it is possible for teh product brand to be successfull and even a country's branding initiative.
Aesthetics: the arts
Social Institutions: the importance of how to target the particular Families, social structure-sexuality
Tourism in the Global sphere
In the course of history people have travelled for several reasons and has been a vital tool in the development of any civilization particularly those at seaports in ancient times. The development of modern day tourism has been enhanced by the increase in ease in travel especially with advent of commercial flying and inexpensive travel (Theobald 2005)
Historically, tourism wasn't taken seriously by most economists, business investors and even governments (reference) but most of this ideology have changed given the obvious significance and impact it has made to world economies.
Tourism today has become one of the most influential and economically significant industry in modern day countries and nations. It is now the fastest growing industry in most industrialized countries particularly the service sector (Theobald 2005)
According to WTTC ( reference) Tourism is the largest industry in the world on virtually any criteria and measurement which includes GDP, employment, and investment. Though due to the present economic recession its growth slumped though not significantly
The economy of countries these days can be totally revived or dramatically changed based on the recognition of Governments as a main concern while businesses balance the idea of people, culture and environment with both having a collective quest for success, wealth and growth http://www.wttc.org/eng/About_WTTC/Blueprint_for_New_Tourism/.
The suggestion that Tourism would continue to increase and drive the world economy is further collaborated by the WTTC 2010 as in the table below.
Reasons for Tourism
Pleasure
Business
Residential
Benefits of Tourism
Tourism is one of the most effective ways of redistributing wealth by moving money from one part of the world to another http://www.tq.com.au/resource-centre/community-engagement/how-tourism-benefits-communities/how-tourism-benefits-communities_home.cfm.
The economic benefits of Tourism is becoming even more obvious in the
Employment
Gross Domestic Product
Capital Investment
Cultural Assimilation and Exportation
Infrastructure
Social Benefits
Environmental benefits
Culture in Tourism
The relationship between culture and Tourism has been
Tourism and Branding
Tourism can be seen as a product defined by the holiday experience (Gnoth 2002) though Middleton (1995) categorically contradicts this. Instead he states that tourism is a 'composite product' that is identified when a consumer (tourist) travels out of his usual environment for leisure, business or for other purposes and thereby meets tourism needs and is promoted in global market (Xu 2009). The Wor
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