Nation Building stake holders role

Prasanna Perera, Marketing & Management Consultant, Chartered Marketer, CIM U.K.

Branding a nation is a critical activity, that requires the participation of all shareholders. For Sri Lanka, branding the nation is now an essential exercise, from a strategic perspective.

Stakeholders - Sri Lanka

There are several stakeholder groups, that will be influenced by the branding of Sri Lanka and in turn, the country will be influenced by them. The key stakeholder groups would be the citizens (resident), government, citizens (non-resident), nations competing with Sri Lanka, suppliers of products / services to the country, international and local lobby groups, to name a few. In any country / nation branding exercise these stakeholders needs must be understood and met in a practical manner. It must be kept in mind that diverse stakeholder groups, have diverse needs as well.

Nation Brand Identity (Sri Lanka)

Brand identity refers to how Sri Lanka presents itself, to its stakeholders. How does the stakeholder identify brand Sri Lanka? Is Sri Lanka projected as an island which is a paradise for visitors? Or a cricket playing, tea drinking and hospitable nation?

Projecting the correct brand identity is critical. What Sri Lanka needs is an unified brand identity, which is consistent over a period of time. By changing the brand identity too frequently, the ability for stakeholders to clearly identify the brand becomes difficult.

There are several tools that Sri Lanka can utilise to project its identity. For example, its people, history, culture, key exports, sports, gem stones, other symbols etc., Sri Lankan Airlines would be a great medium to project the nation's brand identity. The national airline of the country is Sri Lanka's window to the world!

Nation Brand Image (Sri Lanka)

Brand Image is how external stakeholders view brand "Sri Lanka" as a nation brand. Certain stakeholder groups may have negative brand images, whilst others would have positive brand images. This is always the case for any brand.

Certain negative brand images associated with Sri Lanka needs to be eliminated immediately. Negative brand images can spread " virally." Positive brand images of the country needs to be communicated effectively. For this to happen, an effective global mass communication campaign is required.

Challenges in Nation Branding

Nation branding is by no means an easy exercise. The main challenges faced in Nation Branding (Sri Lanka), are as follows :

* Lack of financial resources, to conduct a sustained marketing campaign

* Lack of cohesion (togetherness) amongst key stakeholders

* Lack of a clear positioning of the Nation Brand

* Lack of a Nation brand building plan

* Lack of clear strategic direction and as a result, stakeholders are not in sync (pulling and changing direction)

To overcome these challenges, a team of stakeholders should be assembled. They should be tasked to develop a strategic plan for Nation branding. This plan should then be executed, as early as possible.

Opportunities for Sri Lanka (Through Nation Branding)

There are several opportunities that Sri Lanka can capitalize on, by building a Nation Brand. Given below are a few of them :

* Ability to attract a great amount of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI's)

* Attract the Sri Lankan Diaspora to either return to Sri Lanka or contribute towards the Nation building initiatives

* Find new markets for Sri Lankan produce

* Increase export volumes of principal products

* Attract higher yielding tourists or visitors to the country

* Position Sri Lanka as an emerging force, in the global economic arena

* Find new markets for non-traditional products

Pillars on Which Brand " Sri Lanka" can be Built

In my opinion, Sri Lanka has three strong pillars on which to build a Nation brand. They are,

* Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is a world renowned brand and Sri Lanka has performed admirably specially in the last 10 years

* "Ceylon Tea" is a world class brand, that can be synchronized with brand "Sri Lanka"

* "Sri Lankan Airlines has now emerged as a credible airline that has been operational over a considerable period of time. The national airline of any country is the country's window to the world

Using these three pillars as the foundation, Brand Sri Lanka can be built. It must be kept in mind that a brand cannot be built overnight. Brand building is usually a strategic activity that requires investment, foresight and patience.

Nation Brand Building (Malaysia)

Malaysia is an excellent example for Sri Lanka to obtain insights into Nation Branding. Malaysia used "Malaysian Airlines" as one pillar to build the Nation brand. The airline was upgraded to 5 Star and world class service was provided to all passengers. "If this is the service we provide you before entering Malaysia, imagine the service you will receive once you are guests in our country." This sentiment was echoed by a renowned Malaysian strategist.

Another key aspect of brand building in Malaysia is the "positioning" of the country as "Truly Asia." What this implies is that Malaysia represents Asia and is a pivotal Asian economy. Hence, if you need to experience Asia, simply visit Malaysia!!

The physical aspect of the brand - Malaysia, was greatly enhanced. Mega cities (Putrajaya, Cyberjaya) along with great infrastructural developments to signify a booming and progressive economy, was carried out. The country-of-origin (COO) was enhanced by adding value to the "Made in Malaysia" tag. Malaysian origin brands were focused upon such as Proton, Air Asia, Visit Malaysia and Malaysian Airlines to name a few.

Conclusion

For Sri Lanka, Nation brand building is imperative. "It is now or never" and Sri Lanka cannot afford to wait any longer. A cohesive, coherent brand image and identity is a must for the country, to accelerate economic progress and capitalise on the peace dividend. Whatever, the Nation brand strategy developed, it must be executed effectively, without unnecessary interference and persistence must be demonstrated.

"Sri Lanka - the Pearl of the Indian Ocean"

(Let us not forget this)