The notion that we are, what we think about and we are what we tell the world, has not been sold to Zimbabwean citizens yet as we lack drivers and enablers to hammer that into the minds of our citizens.
The days of brand Zimbabwe obscurity, being told who we are and what we are all about by foreign entities are gone, because we are just about to take our country into another level of telling our own story by defining and promoting our Nation Brand.
The United States of America has clearly mastered this since its inception by its founding fathers as it has programmed its citizen’s subconscious mind to know and believe in Brand America, what it is and what it stands for. This clearly explains why Americans have strength in superiority where ever they are and in everything they do. This is a very simple exercise to implement but it hasn’t been done but we are just about to do it.
Walking the talk has been a challenge over the years, as Brand Zimbabwe has had difficulties in actually creating and applying Nation Branding Models & principles. But then again it takes passion and in-depth knowledge to understand what Nation Branding is from a professional level passing down the knowledge to the ordinary citizen.
As a country we want the sales and the visibility for our products and services, but sales do not come if we are not organized enough to transfer the emotion of certainty on the global market.
My proposal which has been sent out already to Parliament and the Office of the President & Cabinet is to establish a Country Branding Organization via legislation which trades on the vision, mission and objective of being the country’s Branding Authority, for brand identity, policy, promotion and management. This kind of organization is long overdue and is required to be set up urgently by picking the country’s young and finest minds running it.
Once that is established, we are guaranteed a new era in the history of Zimbabwe as talent, skill and innovation will become our revenue making and brand visibility platforms…. Just like corporate brands, there must be someone managing the Brand in a much commercialized manner, and put out the fire when our brand is dragged into a mess.
The Country Branding Organization would have to be quite innovative in approach in terms of putting together a process that ensures a very strong foundation for Brand Zimbabwe. This process is broken down as follows:
Phase 1: Developing a compelling brand proposition for Zimbabwe (mother-brand)
Phase 2: Defining a Brand Architecture that defines the relationship between the mother-brand and the various sub-brands (Tourism, Media, export, Business etc )
Phase 3: Defining the Strategy that the Org will follow in realizing its objectives
Phase 4: Monitoring and Reviewing progress.
So the country branding organization would become the custodian of the nation brand and other stakeholders will represent sub-brands. We cannot wait no more but only to allow the process to begin and that is the only way to turn around our country….
Tare Munzara is a country branding expert, and is also the chief executive officer at Destination Marketing International. Do not miss the next edition of the column next week.
