At a time when the Philippines is seeking its place in the sun on the Asian stage, it is necessary to promote the country's image at home and abroad. “How to create a brand for the Philippines” was the topic discussed at the Cebu Tourism Congress, in the city of Cebu, in the province of the same name, in the center of the second most important metropolitan area of the state after Manila. A brand that goes beyond a captivating logo, a catchy slogan, a jingle that imprints itself in memory, a brand that encompasses the essence of a country, its characteristic and inimitable features, in short, an extract of the identity of a people and of a culture.
“Country branding – the creation of a brand to advertise a country – is not just about tourism,” said Jacqueline Thng, chief executive of Lexis Branding, a Singapore-based company specializing in country branding, in her speech «Branding Strategies» it feeds on everything a nation expresses, from politics to the economy, from art to cuisine, and serves to convey to the world that particular way of being that makes a country recognizable among others.
In explaining to Filipinos how to build an effective brand, Thng brought several examples: France, associated with wine, elegance, refinement; Italy, combined with food, cities of art, treasures kept in museums; or even New Zealand , which is becoming more and more defined, thanks to Peter Jackson's films, based on Tolkien's novels and shot in the spectacular landscapes of New Zealand, as the homeland of fantasy.
Jacqueline Thng expressed her appreciation for the recent tourism promotion campaign launched by the Philippine Department of Tourism, whose slogan "It's more fun in the Philippines" was an international success. "This is the right path" concluded Thng "The Philippines is a sparkling country, a country that knows how to have fun, we need to enhance this capital and make it pay off."
Attachments: Business Inquirer
