Andrew
Editor’s Brief
Victoria Ruzvidzo
Former US Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld gave instructive insights into strategy which last to this day.
He put forward that there are “known knowns, known unknowns and unknown unknowns”. It is pretty much clear that these give guidelines and a basis in the formulation of strategy, whatever the endeavour one is involved in.
Last Friday, I attended a function in Harare where I met two local business executives and we began to talk about wrong perceptions pertaining to Zimbabwe and the need for nationals to take ownership in their country’s development. We spoke of how those who bad-mouth the country were doing a lot of damage as reflected by the perception they encountered on a trip to the United States.
The two gentlemen said it was unfortunate that some in our midst were misinforming the world to the extent that some executives in the US remarked and questioned why Zimbabwe did not have its own currency, among other untruths. They categorically stated that Zimbabwe was an untold story and the world was misinformed. My thoughts invariably dashed to branding issues.
There is urgency for us to up our game on this front. I have written on this topic a few times. Branding falls under known knowns, under Donald Rumsfeld thinking. These are things we know, things we should act on and indeed things that are predictable
Wikipedia advises that nation branding is a developing field in which researchers are looking for a theoretical framework. That is all fine and dandy. It also strikes me as a given, as a citizen of this country and a patriot.
Branding is an obvious case. We thank the Government for putting in place various initiatives geared towards that end.
We learn that there are three Rs of branding — recognition, reputation and recall. That is one perspective.
We learn, too, that there are five methods of branding — personalised, co-branding, insider, identification and product branding.
There is a whole scope we can work on branding for our nation. Admittedly, some of which is internal. We also do that externally.
US News asserts that “developing a country’s reputation on a global scale is part of managing a country”.
Despite technological advances, we make our own name. We have a fiduciary function to advance our country. What is even more important is that we have the assets, resources and endowments to leverage on.
Which begs the next question. How do we optimally do that as a country? How can we fully do that? What opportunities can we exploit?
We need to have interactive engagements. I am deeply keen to hear from you,dear readers, I wish to hear from you such that l will be able to reproduce next week your responses and we share nationally.
The year draws to an end. November always signals the conclusion of one year. It begs us to interrogate what would have transpired. Furthermore, it prods us what happens in the next one.
My exhortation is that we re-imagine and re-invent what we do next. In essence, we start on a cleaner slate. We re-orient ourselves,we re-apply ourselves and indeed, we re-assert ourselves.
Anyone involved in corporate practice would be aware of the inestimable importance of branding. The same importance is applicable to national ones.
We surely cannot fail to paint the right picture for our country. We cannot fail to establish our right identity. We cannot fail to advance our interests.
Branding goes to perception, image and reputation. It also goes to escalation of relations as it does to the consolidation of relations.
My heart bled when l heard those business executives articulating the impression that potential investors and tourists have about this country, which was contrary to obtaining reality.
But the function of branding does not lie in anyone’s hands. It lies in our own. When we let ourselves be denigrated, patronised, abused and downplayed, that becomes a dereliction of duty, an absent-mindedness, an inertia which boggles the mind.
Each and every one of us is his or her country’s ambassador. We represent Zimbabwe severally and variously.
This happens in our various spheres. This also transcends political affiliation. It is decidedly foolhardy to cut the nose to spite the face! This, again, is foolhardy.
We have been labelled “an outp0st of tyranny” by yet another Secretary of State, must have been Albright. But are we?
For as long as we keep quiet, we perpetuate such notions.
We have diasporans. Every one of us is an ambassador. It is the national interest which comes to the fore.
Some among us think that by denigrating the country they call home, they simultaneously advance their own lives. This thinking is manifestly false. It reveals a lack of thought, a deficit in prudence and a sheer lack in one’s pride.
We need to export more, we need to have international standing, some of which we already do, but needs elevation still. We equally need to have those that advocate our programmes, polices and identity.
We need ethical conduct. We all know that it is challenging to build a name but very easy to destroy it.
We think and conduct ourselves impeccably. Ethics is a field much underplayed on this continent we call home. I make reference to Zimbabwe in particular. It should be an insignia of our brand.
There are various ways of building a national brand. We are penetrated on what product we offer as elementary lessons in branding offer.
What we offer should not remain a secret. It is an advancement from which there is much to gain. This does not apply to tourism alone but all spheres.
So, we agree that Zimbabwe is under gross misinformation. We will also agree that perception is everything. The question which begs an answer is what we do about it.
We have a myriad of options available. Let us hear them and explore them. It is in constructively engaging that we learn from each other and build on the same.
We foster relationships as much as we consolidate buy in.
We put our best foot forward. We rebuild our name. We tell them our own story, we build on that. It is frivolous to speak against one’s country. It is worse to neglect the need to actively speak for one’s country, as endowed as we are. And I call upon readers of this column to put forward suggestions towards this branding and we will share them on this platform.
In God I Trust!
Twitter handle: @VictoriaRuzvid2; Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
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