Russia took the 20th place in Country Branding Ranking 2012

Bloom Consulting Company released a new annual Country Branding Ranking. According to this ranking the USA continues its reign as the world leader in the 2012 Country Brand Ranking both for Trade and for Tourism, the strong overall performance and excellent CBS Rating ensured its’ continued dominance. For the first time, the United Arab Emirates, joined some of the Asian Tiger economies in the top 25 both in the Tourism and Trade Rankings.

Asia performed extremely well in the 2012 Ranking. Eight Asian countries finished in the top 25, with China as number four. Aided by both strong tourism receipts and CBS Ratings, Thailand (6) and Malaysia (14) significantly improved from last year. For the first time, Macao was evaluated as an individual country and finished with a bang at number eight. A notable absence was Japan.

Russia takes the 20^th place in this ranking between Croatia and Portugal. The progress is called here “Slightly Strong”.

CBS Rating is calculated using brand strategy economic performance analysis and analysis of Online Search Demand. The country brand strategy is measured through brand tags, the key words that reflect the brand strategy of each country. For the first time in any country or nation brand ranking, Bloom’s Online Search Demand (OSD) is able to show if a country supplies what tourists are seeking, and how well the country is matching this demand.

Brand tags function as the ‘supply’ side of the tourist-destination equation. Thousands of brand tags were collected from each country’s official tourism agency and then classified into 38 different clusters that relate to adventure sports and activities, natural features, local culture and traditions, or gastronomy. Each cluster is assigned an economic value in order to rate the relative returns gained from each brand tag.

Domestic and international tourist searches for the brand tags and related words were then analyzed, country by country, in the most used search engines, to show the country’s accuracy match and quantify Online Search Demand. By considering the OSD, Bloom Consulting is able to show if a country offers what tourists are seeking, and how well the country is matching this demand. This identifies the gap between supply and demand. The more accurate a country is, the better the CBS Rating.

The Ranking for Tourism you can see here - http://www.bloom-consulting.com/sites/default/files/files/Bloom_Consulting_Country_Brand_Ranking_Tourism_2012.pdf 

Territorial logos: good, better, the best!

Last time we started to view various territorial brandings, successful as a rule. At that time it was logos of Las Vegas and Melbourne cities. Today I’m going to tell you about logos of the New-York, Perm, Kazan cities and some countries such as Croatia, Estonia, France, Italy and Slovenia. Some of brands became better, some not so. 

New-York

The process of the New-York branding started in 80s and today we can say that its territorial branding is one of the most serious in XX century. City branding became an important strategy which has already proved its efficiency. In 1977 the New-York Commerce Department gave an order to Wells Rich Green agency to do an advertising campaign. Nobody knew that campaign will take longer than it was planned. Designer Milton Gleizer made a city logotype absolutely gratis. Suddenly it became the New York symbol. Logo is too simple and too successful that all New-Yorkers loved it and today a lot of territories try to copy this idea. But their attempts are unsuccessful: if people see “I love so-and-so” they remember about the New-York city immediately.

Kazan

This city is an example of how large-scale cultural and sport events can promote the branding starting. In fact this method proves its value: the city is in the centre of the events, all media watch it intently and all advantages and disadvantages are conspicuous. New Kazan logotype creation is connected with forthcoming World Students Games. New brand was placed even at the houses’ numbers. New motto “Thousands worlds of the New” is a symbol of interconnection of different cultures and religion living here together since the beginning of the time.

Perm

 

Well-known and one of the most expensive Russian designers offered a quite simple logotype for Perm (Пермь). By his opinion logo should be only the first letter of the city name – П. No decorations and ornaments. He offered to use this understandable and easy-to-read letter everywhere: from houses’ numbers to walls and benches. People were too amazed by Perm logo simplicity and clarity.

Estonia

 

Desire to become the European Union member made Estonia to brand actively. It was very necessary to create a proper image of this small Baltic country for Europeans, the EU members. Branding started in 2002, the project cost was about $1,000,000. The result is the logo and the motto “Welcome to ESTonia” or “Go to EST!”.

France

France is one of the most outstanding modern territorial brandings. This country endowed new logo with new images, filled it with a great number of means, and escaped of usual using of the state symbols. It is unique case in the territorial identification. New French logotype is airy, light, expressive and quite emotional. It correlates well with the idea of all country branding. That rebranding is very successful. It seems that the logo is drew by the hand, strive upwards and transforms into personal signature of France.

Croatia

 

Rebranding here was in 2006. I can’t say that restyling changed the composition a lot, rather the presentation style was transformed. New logo has more bright colours and sun cheer mood. The symbol became more attractive and pleasant visually, and doesn’t resemble those corporative red-blue colours more.

Slovenia

In contrast to the Croatian logo the Slovenian one underwent important changes. Besides the new type appeared it was worked out new image including three symbols: a lime leaf, a heart and the Slovenian mountain Triglav. But it was quite difficult for amateurs to identify all these symbols. Rather they make the logo like flame that correlates with the country branding in a strange way. And used colour decisions make it too dark and not such cheerful.

Italy

 

Italian logo had considerable changes. Old sign was rather dynamic in its composition and had a riot of colour. Traditional Italian flag colours are used in new logotype; it became more accurate and even ascetic but rich in meaning at the same time. Symbol supports the country motto “Italia leaves trace”

by Valentin Ivanov

 

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Same, same, but different

How the former Yugoslavia countries try to find the individual way to market themselves

Having a look on the former Yugoslavian countries, we can find out some promotional videos, presenting a country in different manners, from different aspects. Nations had been a unite state during all XX century, they have been having a similar to each other unique culture, almost all nations are consisting of one ethnic group – Southern Slavs.

Anyway, we can mention some differences. Let’s have an online tour to former Yugoslavian countries.

In general we can notice the loveliness of Balkan nature which can differ. So, we are able to observe both rocky winter mountains, green forests including fauna, some folklore features. But still, they are different independent countries and there are things to distinguish them.

Firstly, let’s have a look on Croatia. Now it has been becoming a new major touristic country because of dramatically growth of incoming tourists. Regardless the bloody horrible wars of Independence the country got tourism as a main sector in its economy.

 

As it shown truly (by the way, as you have noticed, the video is a touristic commercial), there is a number of UNESCO sites, what does a state significance and make an attraction effect. Unfortunately we can not see anything unique concerning the culture, but it makes a one sort of commercials: attractiveness-based promotional videos.

In addition, we mind the number of wine yards mentioned in the video. It can be a signal for a competence to the nice famous wines of France and Italy as an example.

Secondly, we take another example of a touristic video and it is performed by Montenegro. This video is more atmospheric and sense-oriented. Moreover, it presents more colours and pictures. For example, we can notice a smooth passage from ice peaks to green plain, from extreme sports to just leisure. So further, it is impossible to ignore a presence of a slightly feature of fantasy, as we can see some scenes of picturesque forms of fish and a lady swimming somewhere in the air in a forest.

And one more different of Montenegrin video of Croatian is that the first ones shows all the activities you can enjoy during your vacation since it’s a touristic promo.

Thirdly, from the tourist-orientated commercials mentioned above we are moving to two examples of videos with cultural details in it. So did Slovenia had presenting us some folk crafts and traditional labours (again, mind the grapes and wineries) combined with the still extreme sports.

Then, there is Serbia, presenting more architectural features. Since the architecture is a part of culture it also makes some difference with first two countries even performing a country brand logo.

Simply, there are two things: green valleys and historical buildings. Wait, how could we forget the music? To admit, it makes some different ambience as well and as a part of nation culture. Are there “moments to remember”?

But, we can notice that a slice of a nation’s culture can make a totally different effect and impression of the country.

Finally, there is a lovely commercial of Kosovo called “Young Europeans”. A couple of words about the name: there are young active people contrast to an old man with a weird glance. And, the word “young” can also be applied directly to the country because really, Kosovo is a new young part in the European Community.

As an idea there is a perfect metaphor about raising the country, like they do literally with a mosaic shape and balloons and like it should “rise” nowadays, even by a simple recognition of being a young sovereign country.

by Sergei Makarov 

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