Branding, by definition, is a marketing practice in which a company creates a name, symbol or design that is easily identifiable as belonging to the company, stated Elizabeth Smithson, content strategist from Boston. This helps to identify a product and distinguish it from other products and services.
Branding is important because not only is it what makes a memorable impression on consumers but it allows your customers and clients to know what to expect from your company. It is a way of distinguishing yourself from the competitors and clarifying what it is you offer that makes you the better choice. Your brand is built to be a true representation of who you are as a business, and how you wish to be perceived.
Ethiopia had been using ’13 months of sunshine’ as a national tourism brand for about half a century. That brand had fully hit its goal in introducing tourist attractions of the country to the rest of the world, tourism Ethiopia announced recently.
Fitsum Kassahun, Tourism Ethiopia Public Relation and Information Director said, “Ethiopia has been promoting the new brand ‘Ethiopia Land of Origins’ since its launching three years ago.” The forum held in Harar, recently is the fifth of its kind which have been held in Amhara, Tigray and South Nations, Nationalities States and Addis Ababa City Administration.
Underlying the importance of the sectorhe further said that tourism is among the core sectors in augmenting the nation’s economy. The realization of this role thus, is unthinkable without participation of the entire community in promoting the sector.
As per this, every citizen at any place and in any situation is expected to participate in promoting the new brand in a sense of ownership. In this regard, Harari State Culture and Tourism Bureau deserve gratitude for its cooperation in organizing the forum in Harar city speaker’s hall, he said Ayub Abdulahi, Harari State Culture, Heritage and Tourism Bureau Head, for his part said that it is their pleasure to host such a forum. He further expressed his belief that the new brand will generate more income for the country if it is properly promoted.
A good brand will have no trouble drumming up referral business, stated Elizabeth. Strong branding generally means there is a positive impression of the company amongst consumers, and they are likely to do business with you because of the familiarity and assumed dependability of using a name they can trust. Once a brand has been well-established, word of mouth will be the company’s best and most effective advertising technique.
In a tone of acknowledging this idea, participants of the forum urged that the new brand has to be promoted in various ways such as preparing note books, pens and other day to day utility materials. On the other hand, tour guides have to be well trained in the way they can promote the new brand while guiding tourists in any attractions of the country.
Woldegebriel Berhe, Tourism Ethiopia Marketing Team Leader said that every brand has its own life cycle so that it is the time of expiration for the previous national tourism brand for various reasons. Among these is the perception of the number ‘13’ especially among the westerns. Most of them believe that it is related to bad fortune.
The other is logical question regarding the 13th month as the number of days (five or six) far lower than the other twelvemonths with thirty days according to Ethiopian calendar. Though it had grasped immense recognition for many years as a result of the marketing and promotion made, it is the time to use new brand that better introduces Ethiopia with what it have in its breadth and depth.
“To come up with the new brand,” said Woldegebriel, “strategic designing processes were undertaken in recognition of authenticity, aspiration, emotion and simplicity. These are special identities of the brand in which authenticity is the reality of what is promised as a saying ‘under promise over delivery’. Aspiration is what we have that attracts our customers better than our competitors.
The other is considering the emotion and feeling of the majority of our customers whereas, simplicity is the easily accessibility of the brand. All these strategies are underwent marketing research and intelligence work in due process of designing the new brand.”
Adding, he said that various analyses were made while designing the brand. Self analysis is what Ethiopians inland and abroad say about their country. Stakeholders’ analysis is how travel agents, tour operators, hotels and others describe Ethiopia.
Competitors’ analysis is what do they have but we don’t and what do we have but they don’t and customers’ analysis what tourists who have visited Ethiopia previously said about the country.
Based on the analysis, all inclusive brand ‘Ethiopia Land of Origins’ is given upper hand than the recommended others such as; ‘Our Land Your History’, ‘All Africa In One’, ‘The Undiscovered Africa’ and the like.
In answering the question, origin of what, Woldegebriel said many recognize that Ethiopia is the origin of coffee the most widely used hot beverage in the world over 2.25 billions of cups per day and many other species of flora and fauna including human being. Moreover, many have spiritual feeling to the term origin as it has relation to original and originality is the choice of all. In this regard, Ethiopia has its own original alphabet, number, calendar and others.
The analysis indicates that Ethiopia has three core tourist attractions that differentiate it from other competitors. One is its dramatic landscape from Dashen Mountains to Dalol depression and the life that flourishes there. The second is history that goes back as far as myth and legend and the third one is diversified culture in line with the hospitality of the people.
“Enriching all these geographical, historical and cultural wealth through strong marketing and promotion, we can make our country more competitive. This success cannot be achieved by a solely effort of the organization ‘Tourism Ethiopia’. On the contrary, it can be realized through harmonious effort. In this regard, media, citizens, government and private investors need to play their role in inculcating the brand,” he said.
The Ethiopian Herald July 16/2019
BY BACHA ZEWDIE
