The power of branding
Sunday, November 1 2009
Brand Africa continues to be a dismal one. Images of poverty and conflict continue to dominate the perceptions of people around the world, particularly in the West. Africa is still seen as a charity case waiting for salvation from outside the continent. This negative view persists despite the enormous progress the continent has made over the past decade both economically and in the political sphere. Why is this so? What can be done to change this perception to one closer to the reality of our continent?
REBRANDING AFRICA
A brand is a shorthand capsule that encompasses the entirety of a much larger whole. A brand, over time, comes to stand for all the attributes, positive and negative associated with it. It is one of the most powerful tools of mass communication. Brands employ symbols and slogans and the aim of branding is to create associations in the minds of those who come across them.
