By Sintayehu Girma – In the 21st century all world integrated in strong market linkage. Especially in this globalization season most countries tries to promote and sell their unique products as a brand of their own country brand. If a country didn’t build its own brand for a unique product it allows others to talk negatively.
Warren Buffet the famous 3rdbillionaire of the world tells ”it takes 20 years to build brand/good will but it takes only 5 second to destroy it.” He continued “it will be tolerable foe wasting money in one’s organization but there is no any tolerance against our good will/brand of our organization.”
This famous billionaire takes the global economic crisis as good opportunities to build his company brand. He believed that the main reason of the 2008 global economic crisis is injustice tax payment of developed countries around the world.
To elaborate this idea he mention his own experience and say” when the income tax rate of America increases the tax rate will be decreases this is the cause of the economy gay between rich and poor“ he proved that when Buffet pay 15% of income tax where as his secretary pays 35%. Buffet criticized this is completely injustice. There are some wise people, companies and countries that use this situation to bring acceptance to their organization.
In this globalization season, many countries promote their brand to be competitive in the global market and win the opportunity. All governmental organization, private sector and civil society work collaboratively to identify one unique product/service to represent their country and build brand to get acceptance throughout the world. They build a system with all stakeholders to evaluate the branding process and its achievement. As brand professional argues“ It is very common yet wrong Using different brand for a country’s product/ service because Customers couldn’t identify the product easily.”
For instance, tourism might be the brand of the sector but it cannot be the brand of the country because it will not be effective. You can take Egypt as an example, when Egypt promote its tourist attraction it include the national and traditional dishes but this situation create discomfort among its tourists and they are complaining about it.
As reports says it is advisable for countries to identify relatively best product to represent the country as a brand; regarding this our country Ethiopia must choose one icon product or service among coffee, Teff or athletics etc. We have to work on this area and start applying the branding system to be strong competitor in the world.
The writer of this article believes that due to a number of reasons coffee must be the icon brand of Ethiopia.
Some of the reasons are listed below
– Ethiopia is the origin land of Coffee
– The word “Coffee” in English word and “Bunna” the Amharic word is easy to catch and pronounce.
– 3 billion cup of coffee is drunk throughout the world daily.
– 100 billion dollar business transaction has made on coffee next to petroleum.
– Coffee is known as energizer drink it cannot be substitute by other crops or product. When we compare coffee with other crops its price fluctuation rate is very rare.
According to a report from the total pupation 18 years and above of the American people 50% of theme drinks coffee in daily basis.
In addition to this china is a rapidly growing country, if we can take at least 10% of Chinese who drink coffee daily, it will create new market opportunity. To support this we have to give free coffee for Chinese who live in Ethiopia.
To make strong we have to create different coffee day, held workshop and present coffee in international meeting. It helps to promote coffee. We can use famous athletes and celebrities to promote Ethiopian coffee and build our brand.
The product/ service that represent the country as a brand must be known and utilized by the over the world otherwise it will not be effective. When we see the Ethiopia case coffee is known all over the world so there so not any product to compare coffee. It is reported thought international media that Ethiopians coffee has unique test and aroma and also researchers proved that Ethiopian coffee is also good to our health.
Generally, it is very important to use the following public Relation tools to promote the Ethiopia coffee quality.
1. Let famous people and athletes promote coffee on the international Medias.
2. Use local and international Media’s reports and monitor the message and invite the reporters to come in Ethiopia and visit the coffee production process.
3. Organize huge events and exhibition and promote Ethiopia coffee
4. Engage all governmental leaders and ambassadors to create global market linkage.
5. Advertise on less expensive international media.
6. Promote Ethiopian coffee in local governmental and private media, ministers’ office, tourism organization, investment commission and the Ethiopian tea and coffee development and marketing website, social media etc.
7. Work with an organization that works hard on the benefit of coffee producers, like Oxfam.
8. Work with international public relation institute to promote coffee in highly technology and professionalism.
It is better to participate all stakeholders and discussed on the country brand research and come to a common understanding. It is also very important to establish a committee working on the country branding.
According to Wally Alina, there are seven steps for a country branding promotion.
1. Participate governmental body, industry representatives, artistes, educators and media representative to create branding program.
2. Conduct research on how local and foreign citizen perceive Ethiopian coffee.
3. Discuss and compare the result with highly influential people by analysis the strength and weakness of the country.
4. Participate professionals and brand counselors to create a central brand establishment strategy this main central strategy must be strong and easy to catch to identify the county good will/image.
5. Identify different technique to promote the branding strategy and our logo.
6. The content of the massage that is going to be promoted should be interesting and attractive to catch customers’ attention and it must be build from different sectors like tourism, investment attraction and export…
7. Established a program to link with the branding team.