Correcting Zim’s image challenges

02 Dec, 2022 - 00:12 0 Views
Correcting Zim’s  image challenges

eBusiness Weekly

Dr Musekiwa Clinton Tapera

Image and reputation are core elements of a nation brand architecture. Image is the sum of beliefs, ideas and impressions individuals have about a nation’s attributes and activities.

Image is built over time and it’s an outcome of a nation’s behaviour, activities, governance and packaging of national natural and created endowments. Image is a consequence of deliberate expose of unique selling points that leverage the nation against its competitors. It is from this perspective that every nation has its unique and distinctive image built over time.

Historical episodes punctuated by major milestones, upheavals, setbacks, revolutions and iconic leadership exploits, all create both functional and symbolic brand images.

Symbolic brand image is Zimbabwe’s trump card because of the significance of the Land Reform Programme that was well received across Africa but bitterly condemned in the Western world.

Destination image pragmatists such as Avraham and Ketter advocate for the utilisation of the Multistep Model for altering place images.

It helps to alter the image of destinations suffering from negative stereotypes. The model was designed and created to expressly assist places in altering negative images. The multi-step model is a holistic model which has specific practical steps which can be summarised as follows:

  1. It consists of a preliminary analyses characterised by the CAP approach which stands for Crisis, Audience and Place. First this approach involves examining the crisis and the place where the crisis occurred and singling out the target audience for whom the place aims to alter the image. Secondly, marketers define the campaign’s goals and the timing of launching the campaign.

Thirdly, it involves the choice of the most suitable marketing strategy or mix of strategies as given by the preliminary analysis and campaign objectives. Fourthly, once a media strategy has been chosen, a number of techniques such as Public Relations, advertising, promotion and channels such as Television, Radio, and internet are available for delivering the campaign.

The Multi-step Model proposes solutions for altering a negative nation image based on the SAM strategy.

Source(s) strategies focus on affecting, influencing or replacing the sources in the negative and messages such as questioning the reliability of the media outlet or influencing through education the foreign journalists from reporting negative issues that might damage a country’s international image.

Audience (A) strategies have to do with audience values, perceptions and dreams. The effort is to reach a variety of target audiences directly. Message (M) can concentrate directly on handling the problematic components of the image itself.

The propensity of Zimbabwe being mentioned as a rogue nation especially after the land reform program around 1999-2005 can be utilised  to launch corrective campaigns.

During this period, there was a perception that there is war and anarchy in Zimbabwe yet, yes there were political skirmishes arising out the emotional land issue, but visitors to the country acknowledged that it was not of the magnitude reported in international media.

The retrieval of Zimbabwe from memory or easy recall or top of the mind of the country can be utilised for a corrective campaign using the multi-step model. This approach can correct and build a strong brand image in targeted markets for the increased engagement and re-engagement efforts.

For nation branding as a strategy, it is important for marketers to distinguish between negative image and reputation that matters and that which can be ignored because it has no real effect according to Simon Anholt.

He also argues that there is no need for a nation to pour considerable resources to enhance the brand image in a country or region where it is held in low esteem.

If a country is not an important trading partner, not likely to be one in the near future, nor has significant influence over other nations which are important partners or a source of talent, then the motivation to fix the brand is mere vanity and not a reason enough for spending tax payers money.

It is therefore important at the first stage of a nation branding initiative to critically analyse the current image of the place and make a clear assessment of exactly how and why it needs to be altered or corrected.

It is critically important for nation branding champions to target the right market and audience and to make a precise assessment of strategies and approaches that work for altering a nation’s image. Targeting  correctly in crucial because some destinations are known to wrong audiences who are not important to fulfill its ambitions, of investment, trade, talent and skills attraction and enhancement of global competitiveness.

Approaches to correct the image or perception of nations cannot be generic or generalised. Some destinations are well known for the wrong reasons and therefore they need to be corrected.

There are three main types of incorrect images. Firstly, images that are positive but limited and unhelpful for various reasons. To address this  situation the brand needs to be expanded to include attributes, benefits and offerings that are more relevant and more motivating to the market place.

Secondly, there is awareness that is too vague which does not help the place to differentiate itself from competition. In this case, the brand  needs to be enhanced with more relevant, more precise and more distinctive qualities that are not general unclear and irrelevant.

Thirdly images that are out of date, and no longer make productive connections between the current offerings of the place and its current audiences. This kind of brand needs to revitalized and realigned with the current situation.

In conclusion Zimbabwe once a Jewel of Africa, as a tourist destination for the major source markets in Europe and the America’s has had its image receiving a severe negative knock arising from the negative perception of the historic land reform.

The brand image needs to be corrected. However, in come source markets in Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe, Zimbabwe’s image is relatively and comparatively positive but limited and unhelpful for a number of reasons.

There is need for the expansion of the brand image to include products and services available at the destination and the benefits of a symbolic and functional nature that can be derived from the destination

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