Thesis Presentation on Nation Branding, presented by Akshay Alagh, Student Executive, The Delhi School of Communication

1. An Effort to
Understand
Nation ©
Branding
An Indian
Student Executive
Roll No 348
PGDPC XIII
The Delhi School of Communication

2. Concept & Relevance
• Contribution to the Nation’s Development
• Value delivered…?
• Scope in the Future..?

3. Nature of Nation
Branding
• Exciting
– Limited theories available
– Real world activity is unlimited
• Complex
– Multiple disciplines
– Beyond the conventional branding strategies
• Controversial
– Highly politicized
– Generates opinions and conflicts

4. What is a Brand..?
• Name, Symbol or Design
• Identification
• Competitive Advantage
• Creative Interaction with Environment
• Cluster of Strategic Cultural Ideas
• Accumulated benefits
• Could be a Product or a Service

5. Defining a Nation Brand
Unique multi dimensional blend
of elements that provide the nation
with culturally grounded differentiation
and relevance for all its target audiences

6. An Ignored Fact
BRANDING BRANDING
Marketer’s View Customer's View
OUTPUT
INPUT
Mental Vision
Intended Thrust CONFLICT towards Brands

7. Nation Brand
Yet Another… Image
Upliftment
Service & Sales Contributes to the
Buys a TATA Nation Branding Effort
Vehicle
Favorable Administrative
Systems, Govt. Policies
Favorable Price, Perceptions
PerceptionsFinance Options etc towards
towards the TATA
Prospective
Nation customer
Citizen

8. A Successful [Nation]
Brand
Successful [Nation]Brands exist
because
the people delivering the Brand
act in a manner
that reflects promised values

9. Key Stakeholders
• Citizens
• Governing Body
• Commerce and Non-Commerce - NGO’s etc.
• Tourism
• Media
• All others associated

10. Vision Mix
• Each stakeholder vision – one vision
• Synchronize vision(s) generated
• Generate a consensus
• Embark it as the Master Vision
• Strategizing a Long Term Plan
• Advocate and not advertise

11. Why Nation Branding ?
• Stimulate inward investments
• Boost exports
• Talent Attraction
– Higher education students
– Skilled workers
• Currency Stability
• Investor confidence

12. Hard Facts of Nation
• Branding
Internal Competition
– Conflicts within States
– Conflicts within Districts
– Conflicts within Cities
– Political turmoil
• Reasons to Compete
– Grants from the Center
– Sponsorships
– Development funds
– Forward Investments
Eg. TATA Nano Journey

13. Nation Brand Identity
• Multi faceted process
• Channeling strands
• Focused objectives
• Sync with Nation Brand Policy
• Controlled inputs
• Tourists, Students
– No interest in huge info about the Nation

14. Identity vs. Image
• Identity – What a thing, person is – TRUTH
• Image – General impression, perception
• Identity ~ Image –ve force for Nation brands
• Stereotypes, Clichés
• Struggle Identity & Image
• Hindering Nation’s development

15. Deconstructing Nation Brand
Identity
• Personal Experience
• Word of Mouth
• Pre existing stereotypes
• Performance of National Sport Teams
• Political incidents
• Portrayals of the nation in Media
• Quality of Brands emanating
• Behavior of Citizens

16. Identity Building
• No fixed criteria
• Narrative Identity Theory
• Historical and Cultural Inputs
• Poets, Nation Writers, Novelists
• No political influence
• Synchronized & Unanimous

17. Developing IMC for Nation
Branding
• Deconstructing the existing Image
• Shared by a group of consumers
• Target communications
– The Stereotype
– Level of existence of Image
– Urgency to deal with it
– Classify Target Group
E.g. Online Media for Tourism Branding in India
www.incredibleindia.org
www.ruralindia.org

18. Nation Brand Identity to
Nation Brand Image
Nation Brand History, Language, Political Regime,
Identity Sport, Literature, Education, Music
Branded Exports, Sporting
Communicators Achievments,Brand Ambassadors,
of Nation Brand Government foreign policies,
Identity Tourism experience
Audiences: Domestic & External
Nation Consumers, Inward Investors, Media
Brand Image

19. But…
• Excessive Segmentation – NO !
• Alienation of a Brand @#$%
• P-S-C Brands – Yes..if needed
• Daunting in case of Nation Brands
• Controlled limited access
• Organized development of MARCOM

20. Positioning of Nation
Brands
• Has always been complicated
• Totally in hands of Politicians
• No professionals involved
• Bland, attract no body

22. Liberation through
Modularity
• Practiced in the field of innovation
• Synchronized development of sub systems
• Complex Product
• Attributes shall be treated distinctly
Inward investment agencies, tourism boards etc
that can be designed independently but
function together as a whole

23. …
• All subsystems researched so that;
– Differentiability is maintained
– Value is created
– Suitable commn. efforts

24. Nation Brand Equity
(N.B.E)
• Brand Equity – Value of the Brand
• 2 Basic perspectives
• Consumer Perspective
– Awareness of a Brand
– Image, Quality, Uniqueness etc.
• Financial Perspective
– Attaching a financial value to the Brand

25. Consumer Perspective
• Differential effect that Brand
• Ongoing research to get the insights of the
consumers – citizens, investors, tourists etc.
• Ignore basic gut feelings like
• Such NBEQ’s help get Actual Insights
• BRAND IDEAS generated

26. …
• Visual Manifestations
• Nation Brands ~ Imagery, Iconography
– The Flag
– The Currency
– The Anthem
• Ensure encapsulation of the Brand
• Effort towards Nation Brand Loyalty

27. Citizen Relationship
Management
• Need of CRM
• Internal & External sets of TG
• Cluster Analysis
• Maintaining Services Provision Quality Index

28. Financial Perspective
• Fixed value in case of PSC Brands
• Historic Costs – Investments made so far
• Replacement Costs – Cost to create an
equivalent brand
• Future Earnings
• No fixed formula in Nation Brands
• Sir Simon Anholt uses ‘Royal Relief Method’

29. INTERNAL ASSETS
INNATE NURTURED
Iconography Internal Buy In
Nation Brand Support Arts
Landscape
Culture
Equity Loyalty Levels
(NBEQ)
Brand
Country Image
Ambassadors
Perceptions
Diaspora
External Portrayal
Branded Exports
VICARIOUS DISSEMINATED
EXTERNAL ASSETS

30. Nation Branding
&
Country of Origin
Effect
Compliment Each Other

31. COO Effect and
Brands
• Difference to a Brand because of its origin
• Product ~ COO Effect ~ Consumer Perception
• All Nation Branding activities effected
• Both +ve and –ve impact
• Vice – Versa
• PSU’s & Private Companies’ joint efforts
• Scotch Whisky, Italian Leather etc.

32. How…?
• Reyka – an Iceland vodka Brand launched in the
UK market in 2005
• Proclaimed to be made of the arctic spring water
in one of the purest countries in the world
• Geothermal way of making it in order to maintain
the purity of the nation brand - Iceland
• Great brand equity tool for Iceland
• Owners - Scotch Whisky Firm William Grant and
Sons !

33. Not everywhere…!
• COO Effect not always true
• Product category ~ Nation Brand
• Calls for in-depth research

34. COO Effect & Services
• Dominant in Service Sector
• Especially in Airline Sector
• Bias in case of COO Service Brands
• 1 Acronym can cause trouble
• Increases dependency on Nation Brand

35. AMEX & British
Airways
• AMEX in 2003 – America – Iraq War
– Research conducted to find consumer insights
– Fortunately no effect
– They still believed in the Brand
• British Airways
– Changed to BA
– Because of –ve connotation towards U.K
– Result: Publicly berated by the then PM

36. Service Brand Acronyms
Acronym Full Name Service Sector
HSBC Hong Kong and Shanghai Finance
Banking Corporation
RBS Royal Bank of Scotland Finance
KFC Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurants
BP British Petroleum Energy

37. Ethical Issues in Nation
Branding
• All expenses from Public Funds
• Vigil, Transparency, Careful allocation
• 2 Main Imperatives
– Legitimacy of applying Nation Brand Techniques
– Deciding the core Nation Brand Ideas

38. Legitimacy
• Dire need to get PSU’s and Private players
• Socially & Politically adapted activity
• Should a Nation be considered as a Brand..?
• Who will be the Brand Manager then…?
– Politicians (Lack Managerial Skills)
– Marketing Professionals..? (Lack Democratic
Mandate)

40. Is Brand Acceptable..?
• Rejections in comparing a Nation as a Brand
• Brand Management Techniques
• Brand ~ Reputation like words
• No commercialization of the nation
• Promotion with the protection of diversity

41. Pragmatic Challenges
• Managerial Challenges to be addressed;
– Extent of Stakeholder Participation
• Inclusiveness Approach
– Ideal State (FIST Approach)
– Actual State (Domain Specific)
– Co-ordination of Nation Branding touch points
– Developing a coherent Nation Brand Arch.
– Highly politicized nature of Nation Branding

42. Extent of Stakeholder
Participation
Ideal State
– Fully Inclusive Stakeholder Approach (FIST)
– Government is the Key Stakeholder
– Political independence
– Visionary approach for Nation Branding
– Nation Branding Council
– Independent of present and future
governments

43. GOVERNMENT
Public Sector Private Sector
Citizen
Organizations Organizations
s
Tourism Boards Trade Not for Profit
Inward Investments, Organizations
Investment Chambers of Diaspora
And Economic Commerce,
Development PSC Brands
Agencies

44. …
Actual State
– 100 percent inclusiveness not necessary
– Domain specific positioning
– Domain specific campaigning
– Programme specific inclusiveness

45. Suggested Models
• Strategic Analysis Model
• Sequential Category Flow Model
• N.B.A Model

46. Strategic Analysis
Model
• Where are we today..?
• Where would be like to be…?
• How do we get there…?
– Internal Analysis
– External Analysis

47. Internal Analysis
• Capabilities of a Nation
• Deep sectoral analysis
• Scope for Internal Competition
• Develop action points
• Generate Nation Brand Ideas

48. Quadra-Dimensional
• Tourism
• FDI (Foreign Direct Investments)
• Export Promotion
• Talent Attraction

49. External Analysis
• Competition and Environment Analysis
• Over the same 4 Dimensions
– Strengths
– Weaknesses
– Strategic Goals
– Current Strategies

50. Category Flow Model
• Sequential Flow
• 3 Major stages;
– Antecedents
– Properties
– Consequences
• Properties ensures justified treatment of
Antecedents
• Encapsulation through Branding, Zeitgeist

51. ANTECEDANTS Anticipation
PROPERTIES
Cultural
Complexity Encapsulation Expressiveness
CONSEQUENCES
Engagement

52. Antecedents
Anticipation
– Before any conscious nation branding efforts
– Superficial Stereotypes
– Pre-Existing opinions, Perceptions
– Experiences from Nation’s Products
– Could be false, Isolated experience(s)
– True essence of Nation not revealed

53. Properties
Complexity
• All Uncontrollable factors
• Eg. Political Situations, Wars, Behavior of
Prominent Citizens etc.
• Their impact on the Nation Brand
Managing Diversity
• Challenge to develop target communication
• CRM to tackle with various segments

54. …
Urban – Rural Dichotomy
• Bridging the gaps to generate action points
• No particular dominance in the Nation’s
positioning
Cultural Expressiveness
• Encompasses Cultural elements
• Arts, Language, History, Landscape
• Otherwise just a commercially driven
Branding
• Engages the Stakeholders also

55. Vehicles of Cultural
Expressiveness
Nation Arts Organization Activities
French Language
classes, Programmes
France French Institute
of French Films, Multi
Media Libraries etc.
Connects people with
United learning opportunities
British Council
Kingdom in U.K to build lasting
relationships.

56. Encapsulation of the
Two
• Redefining the Nation Brand
• Integrating Culture with Diversity
– Through Branding Strategies – Treatment
– Explicit Branding Techniques
– Removes off false essence
– Ensures a multifaceted Nation Brand
– Requires exceeding knowledge of the Nation’s
Culture
• Generates ‘Brand Values’

57. Engagement
• Inclusiveness & Exemplars
– Next step after Strategizing
– Involvement is very necessary
– Wide range of Stakeholder addressed
– Sustain the ‘Nation Brand’
– Testimonials – Sustain Citizenry's trust
– Transparency – Public Funds being used
– Adds success to the Nation Brand Movement

58. Nation Brand Architecture
Model
• Major pragmatic challenge
• Designing a suitable B.A.M
• 3 Basic PSC Brand Portfolios
– Monolithic
– Endorsed
– Branded

59. MONOLITHIC
Single Dominant Corporate Umbrella Brand
Creates uniform, powerful & consistent image all over
Poor performance of a sub brand affects others also
Individual brands names have theirENDORSED
own identity,
but are clearly endorsed by the parent brand
Benefits of the Parent Brand as well as own identity
Positioning should be in sync with Parent Brand’s
BRANDED
Each individual brand stands independently
Parent Brand is not at all visible
Maximum potential to be a clearly differentiated brand

60. N.B.A.M – Mix of all the
3

61. Nation Brand
Umbrella
Brand
Tourism FDI’s
Endorsed
Exports Sports
Brands
Regions National Sector
Products Team Specific
Cities Services
Lakes Clubs
Standalone
Brands

62. An Effort to Understand
Nation Branding in
Our Country

63. Welcome to India

64. Current Nation Branding
Platforms
1. Tourism
2. Foreign Direct Investments
3. Talent Attraction
4. Short Run Campaigns
5. Some other stories
6. The COO Effect
7. Media

65. Tourism

66. Incredible India Ad
Atithi Devoh Bhavah Ads

67. Atithi Devoh Bhavah

68. Explore Rural India

69. Tourism Awards 2007-08

70. Criticism
Incredible India
• Campaign launched in 2005
• Mrs. Ambika Soni, Ministry of Culture
• Belongs to I.N.C (Indian National Congress)
• No work from 2005-09
• Re-launched in 2009
– Commonwealth 2010

71. …
Atithidevobhavah
• Launched in January 2009
• Amir Khan signed for the Brand
Ambassadorship for Tourism in March 2005
Rural India
• Launched in February 2009
• No specific need

72. …
Tourism Awards
• Presented in March 2009
Visit India 2009
• Value for Money Deals
• Launched in March 2009

73. Short Run Campaigns

74. Bharat Nirman Ad

76. That’s all they did…!
Bharat Nirman
• Total Ad spend: Rs 200 Crores
• Airtime used: More than 1 Million Seconds
• Print Space used: 800 Column Centimeters

77. 4th Feb,2009
The
Economic
Times
says…

78. The Agency Fight…

80. Some Other Stories

81. y …? mi ka
he alth d
h et
W ar
p mon a we m Aa
S m a
o A
C
isa
Pa

83. Slumdog ABC News Now

84. Slumdog Wishes Lok Sabha Video

86. Congress Jai Ho Campaign

87. They did not even spare
Gandhi ji !

89. The Role of Media
• Very positive inputs
• Ensured inclusiveness
• Involvement of all the Stakeholders
• Raised Motivational levels
• But why only 2 English Dailies..?
– Times of India
– Hindustan Times

90. How Lead India Inspires us…?

91. The Lead India Story Till Date

92. Lead India
in Print

93. Hindustan Times joins…

94. Indian Can 200 9 India
Will

95. Also 4 Lac Registrations
80% Brand Recall for TATA Tea
… 2,64,472 people voiced opinions
for ‘Idea – for the
people, by the people’
A recent ‘Good Purpose’ study
by Edeiman a multinational
PR firm says 90% Indians
prefer buying socially
responsible brands.

96. Vs.
General Elections 2009 costlier than what Obama and
others spent in the American presidential race in 2008,
the costliest elections ever there, spread over an year
than months in case of our elections.
A total of 71 Crores 40 Lac Voters have been already
enlisted while America had a total of 13 Crores voters.

97. India & COO Effect
• Export Promotion Councils
• Remove budget constraints
• Leverage to buy – in & buy-out members
• Classifying member companies
• Allowance for Nation Branding on Products
• Only on deserving quality
• Increase in competition within the members

98. Brands that have India video

99. H yundai I 10 Launch Ad

100. Bharti Film

101. My suggestions to Brand
India
• Nation Branding Council
• F.I.S.I Actual State Stakeholder Approach
• CRM Approach
• COO Effect Implementation
• The India Brand Agency and not

102. The Research
• Qualitative Research
• Open ended questions
• 50 Respondents
• No specific target group – Any Indian
• Brand Architecture methodology used

103. Some Stats
• Awareness of the Term – 78%
– Positioning India as a Brand – 96%
– Creating a Buzz in the Global Platform – 3%
– Strategizing the Policies of the Nation – 1%
• India as a Brand – 100%
• Incredible India – Highest Recall

104. Brand Image Inventory
Total Recall

105. Surface Expressions
Terrorism
A.R
Rahman Population
Amitabh
Bachchan Developing
Rahul
Gandhi Poverty
Sachin
Culture
Tendulkar
Sonia
Gandhi

106. If India was a Car…
Family’s 1st Car
Strength & Power
Made in India, Sent abroad
Still Changing, better than before

107. Current Newspaper
Headline
Jagrat Bharat
Emerging Power of the World
India Can, India Will
India – powerhouse of potential

108. Headline 5 years from
now…
India makes it to the list of developed countries
India Leads, India Wins
India is now a superpower
India – 1950 – 2015 – A journey

109. Brand Appreciation
Culture & Traditions Poverty
Unity in Diversity Population
Independent Nation Corruption
Freedom to Media Terrorist Attacks

110. Video for conclusion

111. Acknowledgments
• Almighty – Lord Radha Krishna
• My Guruji
• My Parents
• Sir Simon Anholt – Father of Nation Branding
• Sir Keith Dinnie – Author, Nation Branding
• Prof. Ramola Kumar, Dean, DSC
• Prof. Anupama Mohan
• Bhakti & Namrita

112. …
• Anubhav & Nitish
• PGDPC XIII
• PGDPC XIV
• The DSC Family

113. Thank You
Though this thesis
comes to an end here;
But an effort has to
begin from here…
Nation