A Brand Apart Nation Branding in a More Competitive Africa

DISCUSSION PAPER 3/2013 A Brand Apart Nation Branding in a More Competitive Africa Ngozika Amalu Strengthening Africa’s economic performance A Brand Apart Nation Branding in a More Competitive Africa Contents Executive Summary .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 Introduction .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4 A contested concept .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5 What is a nation brand?.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 7 Global variations in nation brand management .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 9 Africa: Is there a need for branding?.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 10 The nation brand in Africa .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 12 Brand South Africa .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 14 Brand Botswana .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 20 Malawi.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 25 Recommendations .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 27 Conclusion .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 31 Acknowledgements .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 33 Endnotes .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 33 About the Author Ngozika Amalu is the Machel Mandela Intern at The Brenthurst Foundation. The views expressed in this Paper are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of any person interviewed for this study. Published in May 2013 by: The Brenthurst Foundation E Oppenheimer & Son (Pty) Ltd PO Box 61631, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa Tel +27–(0)11 274–2096 · Fax +27–(0)11 274–2097 www.thebrenthurstfoundation.org All rights reserved. The material in this publication may not be reproduced, stored, or transmitted without the prior permission of the publisher. Short extracts may be quoted, provided the source is fully acknowledged. Layout and design by Sheaf Publishing, Benoni. A BRAnd Apart Executive Summary Over the past 10 years, at least 13 sub-Saharan African The growing number of African countries that are countries, among which include South Africa, Botswana, attempting to influence perceptions of their brands sug- Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, nigeria, Gabon and Equatorial gests that, notwithstanding the lack of consensus on Guinea, have attempted to manage their nation brands. nation branding, African nations see it as a potential Their aim in doing so, as in other parts of the world, is boon to their development. This Paper will examine the to differentiate themselves and increase their competi- opportunity that nation brand management presents for tiveness. This involves campaigns to promote tourism, African countries when it is used effectively in tandem investment and national pride. To varying degrees of with cross-sectoral strategic national planning. Mindful success, these countries have unveiled new symbols and that any nation branding programme would occur within catch-phrases meant to embody a host of positive expe- a highly constrained financial and skills environment, riences associated with their nation and its people. where basic issues of health, education and public safety This Paper analyses the nation brand concept in the are paramount, tough questions nevertheless need to African context, highlighting its origins and detractors, be asked about the commitment of leadership, priorities and the lessons that might be drawn from non-African and sequencing, and whether it could ever be ‘money countries which have embraced the idea. Based on in- well spent’ in these circumstances. depth case studies from South Africa and Botswana, the This Paper argues that the process of nation brand two most developed nation brand strategies in Africa, management may well be just as important as the out- this Paper discusses processes and factors relevant to come, if it is based on intensive research, consultation, the success or failure of nation branding initiatives. The and collaboration among a variety of domestic and case of Malawi is also highlighted, as an example of international stakeholders. Such a process is in itself what might be achieved through targeted nation brand an exercise in democratic development and consolida- management. tion. Highlighted in this paper are several features of the The field of nation branding is still in its infancy. domestic environment that will determine the relative What exactly it is, how to implement it, and whether success of any nation branding initiative: or not it works are hotly contested. Among proponents • Commitment from leadership and stakeholders. of the nation brand, variations in the definition of the • Brand longevity and continuity across political cycles. word ‘brand’ lead to multiple articulations of the notion • Consistency between the branding activities and of a nation brand; this ultimately sees the emergence of government objectives. competing strategies in nation brand management. For • Clear and bold actions from leadership that justify critics, the ‘nation brand’ is denounced as an unauthen- the brand message. tic attempt to promote a simplified concept of a nation – an entity they claim is too dynamic and complex for Evidence from around the world suggests that, despite a brand to honestly embody. Currently there is no reli- lingering questions over its utility, the field of nation able measurement of how successful governments have branding is likely to grow, which ultimately will lead to been in influencing their countries’ brands, and myriad greater competition among nations. African countries internal and external factors that affect national image that start now to strengthen their brands will be better are often difficult to track, quantify and directly attribute positioned to differentiate themselves and escape the to proactive nation branding strategies. ‘continent brand effect’ which has negatively affected all African countries. BRENTHURST DISCUSSION PAPER 3/2013 3 A BRAnd Apart Introduction At the annual World Economic Forum conference in the Niger Delta region, to Islamic extremism and in Davos in January 2013, CNBC Africa hosted a widespread corruption. special panel titled ‘De-risking Africa’. The panel In contrast to Zuma’s and Jonathan’s upbeat featured the heads of state of Africa’s two largest assessments, the two non-African panellists empha- economies, along with the CEOs of two leading com- sised the still-formidable hurdles to doing business panies with operations across the continent and the on the continent. Sunil Mittal of Bharti Enterprises president of one of the world’s most influential non- pointed, for instance, to the increasing threats in governmental agencies that focuses a large portion northern Nigeria and Mali, highlighting the limited of its work on Africa. The moderator introduced the effectiveness of governments in ensuring security subject with the familiar roll call of statistics demon- in these regions, which is key to maintaining and strating Africa’s impressive growth trajectory over the increasing investment levels. Louise Arbour, presi- past decade and a half. Yet, inherent in the title of the dent and CEO of the International Crisis Group, discussion – ‘De-risking Africa’ – was the continu- drove home the point that the failure of governments ing concern about instability and potential threats to to strengthen institutions and address economic investments in Africa, despite these positive signals. exclusion present serious risks, as does continuing insecurity in many parts of the continent.1 What these divergent responses to the subject of Increasingly, public diplomacy is ‘De-risking Africa’ reveal is that external perceptions of Africa still tend to cohere around the challenges complemented with techniques rather than the opportunities. To paraphrase Zuma, for all Africa’s steady achievements, the continent still commonly used in marketing – has an image problem. The final telling moment of and none have attracted more the Davos panel was when Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame made a comment from the audience that attention than the idea of a ‘Africa’s story is written from somewhere else and ‘national’ or ‘nation’ brand not by Africans themselves’. He went on to implore Africans to ‘own our problems, own our solutions and write our own story’. The assertion that percep- The first revealing statement came from South tions of Africa are biased towards negativity because African President Jacob Zuma. Citing the major they are shaped by non-Africans has a

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