The start has been signalled in the process of branding the country (the science of controlling a country's image). It came almost simultaneously from two directions: from the presidency, on the one hand, and from the agency for governmental policy, on the other.
The beginning of Romania's branding process has been the cause of the utmost confusion, however, with neither institution aware of the other's initiative, reads yesterday's edition of BUSINESS Magazin.
The presidency says it will control of the country's branding through a project that is to begin "with 90% certainty in about a month". The agency for governmental policy, on the other hand, was not aware of the presidency's plans and has already created an external communication policy through which it plans to attend to the country's branding together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"It is quite normal that the presidency should take charge of this programme, since each ministry approaches the problem from the perspective of its own ailments. Our role is to have an umbrella-like vision, an integrated view," Andreea Vass, an expert with the presidency's agency for economic and social research and policy, told BUSINESS Magazin.
Without knowing the presidency's intentions, the agency for governmental policy told BUSINESS Magazin through its new chairman, Valeriu Turcan, that, "the government has big plans to build a brand". Moreover, some weeks ago it even initiated a policy that would include a project for the building of a "brand image" for Romania.
"The prime minister agrees with the policy," says Turcan. "We are now awaiting the OK from all political partners".
Given this confusion, in which people are aware of the importance and necessity of branding Romania, but do not know "what it means" and "how it is done", BUSINESS Magazin also turned to domestic and international specialists in order to find answers to these questions.
Wally Olins and Simon Anholt, two of the best-known international experts on national branding, have already announced their interest in working on this project. Olins, the "inventor" of country branding, has been "in talks" with Romanian officials for nearly two years, a fact confirmed by former Foreign Minister Mircea Geoana. For his part, recent discussions with presidency officials have made Anholt confident that he will be contributing to the branding of Romania. Domestic branding consultants also have their opinions, which they would like the rulers to take into account.
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