A tectonic shift of national image

The current turbo-charged mode of global image repositioning is causing shifts and creating new chasms among countries.

This is a void that needs to be filled with new players, new ideas and new global icons. Who is ready to play this game? Why is it that what took centuries for nations to create a status of superiority has now been challenged by the global populace? Is it because of the booming new economies of Asia that are redefining themselves under new images? Or is it because that the game of image positioning is now open for grabs?

First of all, who are truly the upcoming nations on the global stage to champion the delivery of the finest performances and alter the course of branded imagery of national goods and services? Where are the old traditional nations and what's happening to them? Today's global shifts on image repositioning are causing minor quakes throughout various continents, as new landscapes filled with dynamic consumerism are erupting, while previously cherished perceptions are being swept away. The art of detection of these seismic tremors in advance, to pursue the balancing act for creating new imagery and brand positioning has now become a serious science.

At an exuberant pace, every minute, a brand new venture or major product is being launched with huge fanfare in Asia. This was how it had been in the US and the West, and, more recently, during the e-commerce boom of the nineties. Now as things in North America and Europe have started to cool down towards recessionary cycles, parts of Asia may still thrive on many fronts, leading the charge in industrial and infrastructural growth and a massive consumer revolution.

The balancing act of mega image development, whether for a nation or corporation, a brand or any new concept are all being re-evaluated by the global populace. The consumer is getting smarter and has now accepted a much wider source of new economies with innovative ideas to newly branded luxury goods, instead of the same, old, traditional brands from few countries, as these issues will become increasingly stronger in coming years.

America is being hit hard on both the image and economy front, plus it is already preoccupied with huge domestic problems, and must still strive to take a very global view and participate openly in these battles for global image supremacy; once reserved for a handful of Western nations.

Asia, the world's largest and most populated continent with four billion or 60 per cent of the world's population, with an aggressive manufacturing base and a booming service sector, could redefine the global economic balance in the coming decade.

There are problems of poverty, but the bustling middle classes and the zest of free enterprise of the thousands of Asian top companies are determined to make their mark on the global scene. They all want to be movers and shakers and why shouldn't they? This is further fuelled by global image positioning shifts and the rise in nations' confidence level, leading them to create brands worthy of regional and international appeal. This combination has created some great opportunities.

The recently released business documentary entitled The Oblivion Syndrome, which can be viewed at www.metrostate.com, describes the problem of illusionary fame without ownership. The next challenge for the new gatekeepers of national brands is the streamlining of global marketing and branding tools to achieve stardom in the fastest time, with minimal costs and maximum impact. Such issues are often confused by short-lived graphic solutions over master global strategies.

We are not alone, as today there are some 500 million business names registered in some 250 countries. Of that, one per cent or about five million names represent some sizeable operations. From that, five million or 100,000 names are considered well known in their relative markets in various countries and regions. Only some 1,000 names are recognisable worldwide, while half of that, only 500 names in the world, are positioned for Five Star Status.

Every single day, $1 billion is being spent worldwide to promote these hundreds of millions of name identities in an attempt to keep them out of oblivion. Despite these massive costs, they will never gain global mindshare no matter how successful the business ideas.

To play this game requires a deep and precise understanding of the rules of engagement. This plan is not to be outsourced for others to experiment with your dreams. The CEO and management teams must develop internal strategies, improve skills and nurture an image leadership culture to tackle all issues. This way, the process not only stays closely knit, interactive and highly economical, but will also ensure long-term planning with great confidentiality.

- The writer is an expert on global image positioning and corporate identity and he is currently lecturing in GCC countries.