Positive Global Identity

Introduction

A distinct, positive global identity has become a mandatory requirement for nations in this era of globalization. Countries have to satisfy two objectives – first, differentiate themselves from others; and second, project their advantages over other countries which may have the same offerings. As the competition to attract investments and to strengthen tourism intensifies, governments have to increase efforts to be visible and active in the global market.

Nation branding has been on the rise since the 1990s. Since its inception, the term ‘nation brand,’ coined by leading theorist Simon Anholt (1996), has been commonly used especially in the realm of global competition.

Nation branding, however, has more to offer than market

They are the primary communicators of the nation brand. The message only becomes believable to outside recipients when the citizens themselves recognize it. Anholt emphasizes the nation brand to be “lived by the citizens”- they being the mouthpiece and the recipient. This is further discussed by Aronczyk (2008) who identified “living the brand” as the fourth step in nation branding, preceded by evaluation, training, and identifying the core idea. No matter how extensive the reach is of a nation brand, its effects may wane if citizens remain passive, or if the image projected to the external audience is simply crafted using marketing trends without some form of engagement from the citizens.

A nation brand is considered a public good (Leonard, 2002), therefore it should be built in a democratic way. This is true since a democratic approach appeals to the citizens, who are also considered stakeholders whose interests should be represented. If the process of nation branding is controlled by a few, it would take tremendous effort to convince citizens to associate with it (Aronczyk, 2008). And if they manage to persuade the citizens to deliver the message, it cannot be sustained for a long period. Identity should be owned, not compelled to

It encourages capacities to be built, and partnerships to be nurtured. The latter is crucial to nation branding strategy. Identifying with a particular identity, having trust in institutions, and believing in one’s own brand are goals participation aims to achieve as an element of nation branding. Since nation branding is a continuous process, participation as its sub-process should be sustained, adjusting based on circumstances. A big task lies in the hands of the facilitators who have to encourage without being biased with their own views. Reinventing methods is recommended rather than sticking to a formulaic set of