Nation Branding “Made in Germany”
Both the World Cup in South Africa and the Olympic Games in Beijing prompted a number of academic articles[1] assessing the suitability of large-scale sports events for nation branding. Unsurprisingly, if we define nation branding as “the strategic self-presentation of a country with the aim of creating reputational capital [...] at home and abroad,”[2] it seems logical to consider any event that will focus global attention on a single country as a supreme opportunity to present a new, carefully planned and self-determined image to the world.[3]
While the results were rather ambiguous for both China and South Africa, the effects of the 2006 Fifa World Cup in Germany have received much less academic interest, despite the far-reaching and positive implications for Germany’s image.
Even before the world cup, Germany’s global image was not bad. Germans were widely respected for their efficiency, their civil engineers and high quality technology “made in Germany.” However, national pride was low, its own president diagnosed Germany with collective depression and, while respected for being organised and efficient, Germans were more well known abroad for being “a dour and gray nation of moaners” and, if people were honest, no one wanted to go there on holiday.
Realising that, the Goethe Institute held a brainstorming event with the goal of redefining Brand Germany in 2003. However, believing that the images associated with Germany were too deep-set and considering the typically bad track record of top-down nation branding efforts, commentators saw little chance for success.
Yet, three years later, after the World Cup, there was a sharp rise in Germany’s popularity:
- It reached the most valuable country brand in the Nation Brand Index
- Foreign tourism bookings increased by 31%
- 88% of World Cup visitors would recommend Germany as a tourist destination
- Investors’ confidence was at an all-time high since 1990
- Exports went up 14% year-on-year, making Germany the leading export nation
- Foreign newspapers reported with a new positivity
The question is thus, what set this apart from other nation branding efforts? Why was it so successful? How DID Germany win the World Cup of nation branding?
While some mention the beautiful weather and the great performance of the German team, others mention visitor safety, the introduction of fan festivals and the focus on catering for the visiting media. The truth however, might be best expressed by Anholt’s observation about the importance of getting the local publics on board with the branding message to make it a success: “when a substantial proportion of the population of the country [...]gets behind the strategy and lives it out in their everyday dealings with the outside world.”[4]
Germany’s straightforward World Cup brand promise was “A Time to Make Friends” and besides training friendly “service ambassadors”, the World Cup awakened a long suppressed pride in their nation in many Germans, leading them to embrace the positive aspects of their country. Shop assistants were smiling, policemen stroked puppies and everyone was welcome to join into the new-found “partyotism” creating the feeling of a welcoming, fun-loving nation. The lesson to be drawn from this? Nation branding works best if it is genuine and honest – Germans were perceived as being friendly not because of slogans or campaigns, but because they were!
[1] Lee, Annisa Lai, ‘Did the Olympics help the nation branding of China? Comparing public perception of China with the Olympics before and after the 2008 Beijing Olympics in Hong Kong’, Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, Vol.6, No.3, 2010 and
Youde, Jeremy, ‘Selling the state: State branding as a political resource in South Africa’, Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, Vol.5, No.2, 2009
[2] Szondi, G., ‘Public Diplomacy and Nation Branding: Conceptual Similarities and Differences’, Clingendael Discussion Papers in Diplomacy No. 112, 2008, available at: http://www.clingendael.nl/publications/2008/20081022_pap_in_dip_nation_branding.pdf, p.11
[3] Berkowitz, Pere; Gjermano, George; Gomez, Lee and Schafer, Gary, ‘Brand China: Using the 2008 Olympic Games to enhance China’s Image’, Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, Vol.3, No.2, 2007, p.164 and p.170
[4] Anholt, S. (2003) Brand New Justice: The Upside of Global Branding. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann, p.123
Despite the spin or shall I say propaganda associated with nation Branding, one thing remains for sure that irrespective of how a country tries to re-brand or (shall I say sell itself) to the outside World, the realities or issues at home (i.e. the plight of her citizens, type of government or political system, ) will (in this contemporary globalised World) determine or define its status abroad. To an ever increasingly active and caring foreign audience, the re-branding of the People’s Republic does not hide the fact that Chinese citizens are deprived the rights (freedom of speech, of worship and the freedom and right to choose their political representatives) enjoyed by most citizens of the international community nor does a football fiesta hosted by the rainbow nation hides the realities of hardships inherent in the townships of Soweto and beyond. In sum, unlike China and South Africa, the economic, social and political apparatuses of Germany and the predicament of her citizens have in relaying a state of affair inherent in German societies thus, help in both strengthening and reinforcing her true image abroad. A country can re-brand or sell itself but the success of its branding lies with foreign audiences who are as a result of the current nature of the international system (globalization), very well informed and very well placed to critically assess the true worth or the true nature of a country.
“While some mention the beautiful weather and the great performance of the German team, others mention visitor safety, the introduction of fan festivals and the focus on catering for the visiting media. The truth however, might be best expressed by Anholt’s observation about the importance of getting the local publics on board with the branding message to make it a success: “when a substantial proportion of the population of the country [...]gets behind the strategy and lives it out in their everyday dealings with the outside world.”
Indeed, Germany’s victory in the World cup of nation branding can be attributed to her national state of affairs. The plight of her people not only stands as her most fundamental asset abroad but also stands as her key ingredient to her victory.
So sieht’s aus!!!
(sorry had to just comment in german that: Those are the facts of life!!) Hahaha. That was truly a nice article to read Izzi, thank you. I certainly agree that the World Cup was a total booster to Germanys image. Many foreigners know Germany mostly for their Cars, Technology or yeah Footballers. Creating a strong, positive organizational culture will attract even more foreigners / countries /buisnesses and as you said it – “honesty”, trust and credibility, as Van Ham argues, will certainly assist the Germans to bring across an even stronger message.
Thank you both for those comments!
I agree that, compared with China and South Africa, Germany probably had an “easy job” sending a more positive message to visitors and the press alike. Most nation branding experts underline how important the simplicity of the branding message or promise is. While both China and South Africa had to address a multitude of factors (the whole of Anholt’s hexagon, I would argue), Germany had been working on a positive image for its exports, governance and many other aspects for decades, and was in the advantageous position of picking one element – the people and their attitudes – that they wanted to improve. I agree that if the general state of affairs in Germany had been less advantageous and well-respected at the outset, the results of such an one-off event would have been nmuch more ambiguous.
Well done first of all, its good piece of work and good analysis. As you already mention 2006 World Cup in Germany did not receive much academic interest, mainly because Germany already has established its name throughout the world, whether to talk about Mercedes Car to good medical doctors, they already earn their respect from the rest of the world. And in terms economic and human development Germany is one of the best.
Whereas, the World Cup in South Africa and Olympic in China both held in the developing country, and before the Game began in Beijing all the media was talk about was whether china will improve their human rights, if they will reduce the Co2 and South was all about “poverty” what will the game bring to the poor South-African people. So the expectation was high “what will Olympic and World Cup bring to the people and how their Government will manage to host” in both counties specially in the economic side and also the security of the people. And all those factors were excluded in Germany as they are already develop country.
If I may say the only thing the media could talk about the world cup in Germany was how the public will treat their guest, will they be friendly or not and I believe that come out right from German Public and the outcome was success.
Thank you for a very interesting case study and a beautifully crafted blog entry. Interestingly, Anholt’s data (towards the end of his book Competitive Identity, I think) indicates that only the hosting of the Olympic Games produces a noticeable bounce in a city’s – and, by extension, a country’s – brand. The World Cup and other events do not seem to have any discernable effect. But you are write to stress that Germany already had a good reputation in many areas, so the World Cup had the effect of enriching and extending the rest of the world’s impressions of the country and its people. I think you have captured something Anholt’s surveys could not.