By Mary Kimonye
In Summary
The reputation of a country is comparable to the
brand images of companies and products and is key for its progress and
prosperity.
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The need to understand and embrace nation branding is
critical. Subsequently, managing a country brand is about national,
regional and international identity and the politics and economics of
competitiveness.
But what happens when a nation brand goes through a crisis?
According to Simon Anholt, a branding expert,
building the reputation of a country takes between five to 20 years. All
countries have their brand images, and they get their brands from
public opinion.
Hence France is about style, Japan about technology
and Brazil about football. Whether these perceptions represent the
countries try images or values does not matter. As they say, “perception
is reality”.
Perceptions are developed over time through events
and actions. Disastrous events often take place, which if not well
managed can ruin a country’s reputation.
As Warren Buffet said, it takes five minutes to
ruin a reputation. How nations manage these issues affects how the world
views them.
Effective approach in managing a nation brand under a crisis:
Communication: In a time of
crisis, internal communications takes precedence. Communicating early is
often the best strategy for mitigating a brand crisis. Those impacted
by the crisis want answers fast. Channels of communication include
websites, social media platforms, media releases, testimonials and
endorsements.
Dissemination of positive content: Dissemination
and sharing of positive content with citizens is critical. This applies
to traditional mass media and social media as well. Capitalising on the
brand strengths helps to guard its status.
Harnessing the power of mass media:
Media forms an integral part of nations. They have power as a trusted
source of information and therefore ought to be viewed as allies. It’s
important to harness this power. In a time of crisis, a variety of media
outlets and tactics must be used to reach various audiences to maximise
reach and frequency of the message.
A blended approach that incorporates digital and
print ensures that audiences are reached strategically via their
preferred channels of communication. In a crisis, citizens take their
cue from the local media. Subsequently, the international media takes a
cue from local media. Engaging the media is therefore not an option.
Social media strategy: Social
media makes it easy for users to share and shape opinions. When a crisis
occurs, it is human nature to want to connect, offer support and heal
together. That’s the power of social media; it provides a place to
congregate and share comfort, a virtual “community centre.” This
provides the opportunity to react in real time to crises, correcting any
reported mistruths and managing bad word of mouth.
Engaging the critics and encouraging positive dialogue: It
is crucial to deal directly with critics. Lying low until the heat
blows over is not an option. Today, the Internet gives visibility to
critics— it’s much better to deal with criticism as it arises. Strong
brands will always have defenders among its various stakeholders,
including investors.
These supporters should be provided with platforms
where they can express their views on what the brand means to them.
Encouraging positive sources of information about the brand ensures that
positive opinions are sustained.
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