CLICK HERE to see how Africa is presenting a new face through a stronger role for women, a world of potential in services, upgrading traditional exports, and building foundations for prosperity.

Interview with Simon Anholt, Earthspeak

A country’s “brand” can help or hinder its exports. Plugging into the essence of its people, institutions, geography, history and culture, a nation can create a brand strategy that shows its true, distinctive self.

A long-term export policy of the Republic of Korea combines national and corporate branding.

In 2000, the Korean Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy announced that to be globally competitive and boost exports, Koreans needed to shift from supplying generic products to developing their own brands. The Ministry’s strategic policy was to support branding at the national level. As a start, it reorganized and renamed the “Quality and Design Division” to the “Design and Brand Policy Division”.

Can national branding improve export competitiveness? Branding experts, business executives and government officials debated the issue as part of the Executive Forum process.

Scotland’s economic development agency, Scottish Enterprise, created a special project called ‘Scotland the Brand’ in 1994, to explore the benefits of integrating the marketing of Scottish trade, tourism and culture. They had noted that country of origin can be a key factor in a consumer’s purchasing decision, and that countries such as New Zealand, Ireland and Spain had developed successful branding initiatives. The challenge for Scotland was to capitalize on an existing awareness, and become more cohesive in its marketing efforts.

How does a home-based craft business showcase its products on international markets? One answer is through a private sector-driven trade support network, an example of which is found in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Businesswoman Barbara Mowat has set up a process that has given over 5,000 small businesses the chance to launch their gifts and household items on the international market. Peter Hulm interviewed Mrs Mowat about her experience of building up a network of small home-based businesses.

Can the successes achieved by the Uniquely B.C. Creative Arts Show and the Uniquely Canada Show be transferred to a developing or transition country? The experience of Slovenia, whose trade officials hired Barbara Mowat and her team to help them prepare to showcase local crafts internationally, suggests the model is indeed transferable. Peter Hulm interviewed Zdenka Kovac, director of Slovenia’s Small Business Development Centre (PCMG), about the origins of the First Uniquely Slovenia Gift Show held in Los Angeles, California, in July 2001.