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 

New Penza brand: pro and con

The Russian city of Penza is more and more discussible now on different areas: social networks, professional communities, offices of regional authorities. Issues of Penza’s branding and territorial marketing are under discussion. The new conception “Penza is a territory of discoveries” is about to became a regional brand and this idea already has both followers and opponents.

Development and application of the brand program will be supported by some millions rubles and powerful administrative resources, perhaps it will be the best territorial branding campaign in Russia.

According to researches Penza region has low publicity and fame level, its image is diffused and unspecified. In experts’ opinion Penza doesn’t stand out for other regions and needs modern conception of its promotion. “Penza is a territory of discoveries” was declared as main conception and brand of this region.
 

Certainly Penza has some advantages such as numerous cultural and social objects, high environment protection, favorable geographical situation and good public security. This region is also famous for significant educational and tourist potential, unique complex of social programs and… mitral valves production.

On the assumption of these factors the conception “Penza is a territory of discoveries” has five certain programs to realize. The first one is “Penza is a territory of innovations and high technologies” or “Penza technocity, this dubious part reminds of that in Russia mitral valves are produced only here. Conception’s authors are sure that this idea will attract investors who interested to develop hi-tech. But Russia has already a lot of science cities, heart as a symbol is unpopular and on the whole Penza has appreciable less science factories as in Soviet Union times.
 

The second part of the conception is “Penza is the Russian sport capital”. It’s well known that Penza is a native city for some Olympic champions, Penza sportsmen play at very high level in different national and international competitions. But experts doubt whether such project will attract investors and… Penza sportsmen may get tired some day.

“Penza is educational capital of Russia” says the third part of brand conception. This region has some colleges and universities unique for Russia, hence there is high trained potential. But last year five Penza universities got to the list of inefficient ones. Will investors become interested to deal with this field? This is the question.

Penza authorities try to improve environmental problems, thesis “safe city” is a the base of the conception “Penza – Russian ecopolis”. Mere words. Local residents have some doubts about this fact: chemical weapons recycling factory works there. It’s not excluded that some green organization will protest.
 

The fifth part of conception is “Penza is open territory (or territory for developments)”. Authors consider this formulating is the most capacious and expresses idea exactly. Creative and modern character conforms to world tendencies. It’s not difficult to select infinitely epithets about open authorities, free business development, low corruption, universal values and so on… Even a new logo was created – o’PENза (Open Penza – Открытая Пенза). But this conception is already discovered, Penza has many competitors on this field, for example COPENhagen, Roma – città apperta, Cherepovetz – territory of development. Will investors bite on these common words?

Russian professional community is indignant with conception “Penza is a territory of discoveries”. City branding and territorial marketing experts have a lot of doubts about this program first of all whether usual people were interviewed. Obviously that conception was created without work with inhabitants, has very crude basis and doesn’t present something unique and having perspectives. And which is more the author of this conception is some agency “Region Media” which doesn’t have an experience of territorial marketing and branding and probably will receive ponderable profit for these research and “brand” development.

by Valentin Ivanov

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In search of the Russian national idea…

Russia is in transition period now, it’s a fact. Government and society try to find common language to determine the ways of Russia’s development in economy, politics, social infrastructure, culture, army. But all that comes to one thing – the national idea. Russia lost it after USSR break-up and new conception hasn’t appeared yet.

In December, 2012 CF Art Group organized a competition “The best art-conception of the Russian national idea”. Participants had to create the national idea (and we remember it’s high state matter) and think how to represent this idea visually. In such way Russians are involved to this process themselves. Let’s view six art-conceptions of competition’s short-list. Some of them are actually unexpected but corresponding to the reality.

1. Russians have a proverb which is translated like “Don’t step on the same rake twice”, learn your own mistakes and don’t reiterate them. Rake is “grabli” in Russia, hence the art-conception name is “Grablism”. Moscower Sergei Golovko thinks that it’s peculiar to Russians to look before their leap, to create potemkin villages (just for show) and to ignore corruption amounted great scales. The monument is so: large bronze books piled up very high with a rake on the peak. Book piles are like symbol of Russian bureaucratism and senselessness of authorities. Rake handle has to be broken by permanent head blows.

2. Anton Nidzelnitsky considers that Russian national idea is disavowal of liberal values. Visual image is the Motherland Statue driving the Statue of Liberty away. Author thinks that Russian must refuse of American culture, revert to national traditions and patriot values, remember glorious and heroic Russian history. This idea symbolizes independence of state policy and revival of moral foundations.

3. Probably “Mikhail Lomonosov’s portrait painted by petroleum” is the most unusual conception. Its author Vasily Kirsanov thinks that the national idea should be presented by concrete an settled paradigms. Eternal image is image of Lomonosov, the great Russian encyclopedist, humanist, scientist, poet. His outstanding name is strongly connected with reforms and innovations. Modern Russian symbol is oil, now petroleum embodies national strength and world importance.

4. “The most important is Man” is national idea offered by Irina Semenova. She’s sure that the highest value of every individual person must be in the centre of Russian national conception. During more than thousand-year of political system here the state never took into consideration people lives. Every good intention (city and ways buildings, reforms, developing) always is accompanied by human losses. This is the main reason of all Russian problems. Author pictures this idea like man sitting on the pedestal with inscription “It’s me, it’s you, it’s everybody”.

5. Pavel Sokolov from Irkutsk offers idea “Man carving out of stone himself”. Author thinks that Russian people need to release themselves out of stone. The heavy hammer is an instrument helping this work. Man doesn’t see himself, his future, he doesn’t know what will be in result. Only persistence, purposefulness and perception oneself like part of great nation will help people create happy future.

6. Russia and Russians are remarkable by their contradictions. There are a lot of nationalities, languages, cultures, religions, a lot of climate and hour zones. Reach and poor, great and foul people live in the neighborhood. Russia permanently tries to find right development way, tries to self-determine, staggers everywhere. “Tilting Doll” is art-conception of Russian national idea offered by Vitaly Saburov. He convinces of that this image reflects the reality very exactly.

The results of the competition will be published the 20^th of March, winner will get $10 000, his project will be realized and presented on la Biennale di Venezia.

by Valentin Ivanov

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Will Kazan become a tourist mecca after the XXVII Summer Universiade?

 

July 2013 will be very important time for Russian tourist, it’s necessary to be in all glory because Tartarstan’s capital Kazan is expecting to receive more than one million tourists and 13 thousand athletes from 170 countries. The XXVII Summer Universiade will start the 6th of July but preparations to it have begun considerably earlier, and all this event costs more than $ 4,3 billion. Now specialists are calculating not only building scales but corruption scales too.

Sochi-2014 and Kazan-2013 (like APEC in Vladivostok) are the most expensive sport and tourist projects in Russia last years. Account Chamber of Russia is running off its legs trying to count charges of Olympic Games in Sochi (now the sum of money is more than $ 50 billion). It’s not difficult to guess that the Universiade and the Olympic Games are the projects oriented to show power and steadfastness of Russia. Certainly it’s fascinating to count somebody’s money but let’s speak about something more pleasant. Today I’m interested in Kazan and let me look what important things and objects for Russian and foreign tourists will be realized there this summer.

64 objects will be brought into play to organize competitions. Especially to this event 34 objects have been built or are being built now. The biggest buildings are Football stadium for opening and closing ceremonies (45,000 seats), Central Stadium (27,000 seats), TatNeft Arena (10,000 seats), Basket-Hall Arena (7,500 seats) and Universiade Village which can host over 13,000 people. Aquatics Palace, Tennis Academy, Rowing centre, Saint Petersburg Volleyball Centre, Gymnastics Palace have capacity less 5,000 people but for Kazan they are something unaccustomed.

Also a lot of money were assigned to building and reconstruction of transport infrastructure. More than ten flyover, 23 highways, 73 streets are constructed or renovated. The second subway line, new tram line, aero-express line to international airport “Kazan” were built.

Tartarstan’s capital is ready to receive guests, “the guest card” will appear in the city. This card will be available since 1st of March. Now it is not known how to became card-owner but indeed it’ll give big preferences: free enter to five museums, several public transit trips, discount in some Kazan’s souvenir shops and restaurants. Three information stalls, 30 maps, 51 pedestrian indicators and 21 memorial indicator will appear by this summer. Also all street names will be translated into English. Information technologies must serve Universiade and new free iPhone and iPad application will be launched, it got a name “Discover Kazan”. This application will be in English, Russian and Tatar and it’ll give information about tourist routs and main sightseeing. In May the application “Virtual History” will appear and it’ll give possibility to see historical buildings in retrospective. Last year multi-language call-centre began to work. Soon it’ll be very difficult to find places in Kazan hotels. Universiade’s capital is ready for tourists.

But the main question is very sore. And it also concerns Sochi. Will these cities became tourist mecca next years or they’ll be forgotten. Will Kazan’s $ 4,3 billion and Sochi’s $ 50 billion come back to state, regional, municipal budget and to investors? Will tourists and sportsmen return there after these pompous and done for effect competitions?

by Valentin Ivanov 

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Muscovites elect new Moscow metro map

In spite of that Moscow metro is one of the hugest subway systems in the world (Russian capital is at 9^th place by number of station, they are 188 ones) the Moscow metro scheme is quiet simple. It is radial with lines crossing in the centre. Compare with Tokio or Seoul subway and be horrified. 

 

For a long term there was old-time habitual scheme which was very comfortable for residents and guests of Russian capital. It had thick lines and big points of stations, there were information about railway stations and aero-expresses. But in September designers Moscow company “Autosell” created new scheme, very modern and according to European models. But this performance was found to be very failure, usual people and professional designers found a lot of bad mistakes and called new map like crude workmanship. This scheme had no connection with real location, it had not railway stations, airports and the river Moscow. But there were found such thing as irregularity of filling, unequal lines, letters, outlines, serifs, new map had not common design standards. 

 Immediately a lot of new alternative schemes appeared and the other day the Moscow transport department started a competition between three best schemes proposed by professional designers. Muscovites can elect new metro map themselves, their votes will have determined by the 1^st of February which scheme will be stuck in trains and stations. 

Now there are three applicants to be a winner: Artemy Lebedev Studio, RIA “Novosty” design agency and designer from Chelyabinsk Ilya Birman. All these schemes take into account the mistakes of the former one, combine traditional line forms and European freedom, lightness and contrast. 

ALS created new information level on the scheme, they added suburban trains and connected them with metro and such way displayed comfort and simplicity to go by suburban trains. Designers also offered to create two separated versions, Russian and English, because two languages overburden the scheme. By the way all schemes have Roman alphabet like secondary because it’s difficult to call Moscow a world tourist mecca now. 

 

RIA “Novosti” decided some actual problems of the former map. At the first the coordinate scale for stations prompt search appeared and at the second the transfer system was improved. Here designers repudiate traditional circle, ring, and introduced new figure to the centre – octagon. 

Ilya Birman tried to make his composition very simple and legible, he untangles all these junctions. But the best innovation is to implant into alphabet index a system of compass researching of stations. 



There is also one interesting edition which doesn’t take part in official competition. It’s a map created by Moscow alternative group “Partizaning”. Guys took away all building stations and connected all objects with real geographical locations to show real distances between stations. Also they offer to unite suburb and subway systems, it’ll be considerably profitable. They distrust ideas of Moscow authorities to build one more metro circle because small railway ring already exists and only one necessary thing is to connect it with metro proper. Besides “Partizaning” recommend people to cycle or to go on foot more and not to buy cars. They have already placed illegal alternative schemes in metro coaches. 

Ironically “Autosell” has already got money for their unsuccessful project, therefore the competition became free and only one bonus for future winner of competition is his logo on the scheme.

 

by Valentin Ivanov

 

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Common “Siberia”

“We have one common asset – word “Siberia”. It influents on our prospective tourists with a magic effect. Ancient Siberian culture, secrets and miracles of this land attract people from all over the world. We will get great advantage if stake on united brand – Siberia”, said Leo Kuznetsov, the Krasnoyarsk Krai governor. This region and also Khakassia, Tuva and Altai – four Siberian territories – signed a tourism agreement. This document is only a start of the way of Siberian products promotion. 

The modern infrastructure absence impedes now to develop tourism in Siberia completely. In theory this problem is solvable but it occupies a long time. Other problem is how to explain consumers what valuable and understandable qualities does Siberia have. If about foreign tourist they actually associate Siberia with relentless frosts, impassable snow-covered territories, bears and gulag. There are a lot of popular and excellent tourist objects such as Gorny Altai, Lake Baikal and Shoria but they are valuable like themselves and it’s too difficult to unite them as ONE brand.

Historically Siberia was not a territory aimed for tourism (excepting Lake Baikal and Belokurikha). Only real economics developed here: industrialization, natural and energy resources, agro-industrial sector and forestry. Exchange relations (which came after planned economy) showed weakness of Siberian tourism sector especially in the foreign market.
 

Siberian is a unique region with centuries-old history and traditions. For example Tuva and Khakassia are real archeological museums in open air and the oldest Siberian town Yeniseysk is included to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites as town-monument.

Idea of united Siberian brand existed for a long time and was discussed more than once. It’s necessary to say that European tourism develops such way particularly neighboring countries promote their projects and position their products together. For example winy regions organize joint gastronomic tours, or Czech Rebuplic, Hungary and Poland do health-improving tours. It economizes costs for positioning and forms in customers’ minds clear and attractive tourist brand. It’s not impossible in Krasnoyarsk Krai which is confused with Krasnodar Krai even by Russians. The common tourist brand will do Siberian image structured and understandable.

Now 90% of Siberian tourist market is domestic tourism. And it’s necessary to start working for foreigners. The united calendar of tourist events will be created. Events will be structured by periods and by specialization. In July, 2010 there was good information tour on “Yeniseyskoe Koltso” and their participants – officials, journalists, travel agents saw real tourist attractiveness of these lands. And actually speech is about new Sayan-Altai tourist cluster creation. It’s possible the common Siberian tour operator will work here.

by Valentin Ivanov

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Russian yeti-bar

The yeti-bar was opened not far away of Siberian city Kemerovo. The small settlement Shergesh is situated on the Green mountain peak. Restaurant keepers think tourists, locals and… snowmen will visit their café often. 

The yeti is a relict hominid supposedly living in the Kemerovo region and is considered a main tourist attraction of this miner’s region. Last year Kuznetsk Basin’s citizens even began to celebrate the Yeti Day initiated by the governor Aman Tuleev. Some specialists (for example, from the International Hominology Centre) think about 30 snowmen live in these mountains.

Last six years the number or tourist visiting Mountain Shoriya increased from 42 000 to 300 000 people. “Some tourists go here especially to find the yeti but we don’t think up anything especial for it. There are real evidences of the Shoriya hunters, huge steps are plastered” officials say. Four scientific expeditions have already been in these mountains. Generally the yeti cult is very popular here, there are a lot of snowmen’ sculptures: near cafés, petrol stations, on squares and in parks.

 

Yeti-bar’s organizers hope not only snowmen will visit the café because they’re insolvent. But the Mountain Shoriya’s locals and guests – you’re welcome! Here you can taste traditional Shorian cocktails and drinks, and also “Arochka” like Russian vodka.

The café is too popular because is situated on the territory of the ski resort “Sheregesh”. In spite of beastly cold here the resort was visited by more than 85 000 people during only New Year vacations.

The resort’s development continues always. There are more 42 hotels, 49 cafés and restaurants, 4 entertainment centers. 

Thanks to the yeti and legends about it this Siberian region is very famous in Russia and near abroad.

 

by Valentin Ivanov

 

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Shame teaches impolite drivers to park correctly

Some months ago Moscow internet-magazine “The Village” created a mobile application to struggle with wrong and illegal parking. In last Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival this project got the Lion and now I want to tell you about it.

In general, the Lion award is like advertising Oscar. Last year Russian advertising agencies became to receive prizes of this Festival and thanks to that reputation of Russian advertising industry became to grow up at the international scene.

The application “The Village: Parking” is very easy to use. If you see a car parking incorrectly you make a photo of it, chose its colour and a body type, and publish. All this is done in only one screen. It’s handy and understandable. But the main idea is not to gather information about breaches; the most important is to spread this information. For example, a man is reading Internet article, and suddenly the 3D picture of car is appearing. He points a cursor to the image and the banner darts out. This banner says that it disturbs you such way as this car in certain street. The banner shows cars-troublemakers which was photographed not far away, for example, near offices or in a court. Then people spread these photos in social networks.

Web-sites taking part in this project are The Village, Look At Me, FurFur. It’s about 2.5 million people every months and also the social networks. The Village creative director Ekaterina Bazilevskaya says that company wants to create an international platform, to unite all media not indifferent in this problem. The application is translated into some languages. People from Germany, USA and other countries asked The Village to develop its project abroad.

Ekaterina is sure that shame in this situation is the most powerful method to break drivers of bad habit to leave their cars at not appointment places. Through some months it will be possible to know how many people changed their behavior. The Village follows recurrences of every car’s breaches. Some project’s friends say that they became more conscientious.

Moscow has a lot of tools to overcome illegal parking. Young activists stick labels to cars “I’m parking like moron”. There are too high fines for incorrect parking. But sometimes nominally legal parking is not polite, for example, when one car takes places of three ones. And you should remember it.

by Valentin Ivanov

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What is Russia? Light solutions ad?

Nice advertising for a light solutions company. The goal was obviously to create a buzz. I think they have done a good job in making Russia incomprehensible enough, and maybe a little too much. But the idea with the Matrioshka Russian symbol and all the clichés make this ad very funny and attractive. One point, nevertheless: I did not catch company main business, for me it was a consultancy for foreign business implementation in Russia... Maybe I'm not the right audience?..

Pavel Morozov
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