80% of the population lives below the poverty line. 50% of school aged children never go to school. Corrupt politicians and violent gangs run rampant.
For those unfamiliar with the above statistics, the following phrase should sound familiar: “The poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.” By now, you should recognize the media’s descriptions of Haiti.
These accounts describe only one side of Haiti; a side from which no nation in the world is immune. However, many countries become tourist hot spots despite these factors because their branding strategies are strong, unified, and memorable.
Nation branding is the practice of using branding to improve a country’s image abroad, increase its notoriety, attract investment, boost exports, and become a magnet for tourists. Strong nation brands ensure perception trumps reality in the international market place. Many developing nations have built successful nation brands to propel them towards economic prosperity.
India’s “Incredible India” campaign revolutionized its international image through tourism. Today, when one thinks of the nation what comes to mind is information technology, innovation, cheap reliable labor, investment opportunities, colorful national traditions, flavorful food, and spiritual renewal. India’s successful construction of its nation brand resulted in it becoming one of the largest economies in the world, despite the reality of having 80 million people living in poverty. So how did it do it?
The January 2010 earthquake sparked a plethora of discussions about rebuilding a “new” Haiti; one that would provide a secure space for Haitian citizens, tourists, and foreigners to invest in development. As a result, the Brand Haiti project was launched only six months later to develop a vision for the nation’s brand. In early March 2011, Brand Haiti Project Manager, Sarah O’Toole, presented to students, teachers, and local professionals at the University of Quisqueya in Port-au-Prince about the first step of the project – exploring the “essence of Haiti.” She said the group would be using data obtained from conversations with stakeholders throughout Haiti and abroad to develop a plan for branding the country.
Additionally, a group of college students inspired to showcase business opportunities in Haiti created a non-profit organization called Brand Haiti. It “markets products that are Made in Haiti and advertises and collaborates with companies doing business in Haiti to exhibit the attractiveness of investing” there. In February 2011, it held the “Rebranding Haiti” Symposium; the first university symposium held in the United States on marketing and investing in Haiti at Tufts University. The day included panels on developing the “Made in Haiti” brand and building capacity for entrepreneurship in Haiti, as well as, an exposition of Haitian businesses.
These projects, though promising, may have a higher hurdle to jump: surviving a new president. As the Indian example illustrates, government coordination is imperative to the success of the nation brand. If the next leader’s true priority is economic development, Haiti’s nation brand could not only turn around its international image, but also jump start its economic future.
Marlynne Bidos
