Marketing a nation with Scott Bedbury

Who were the winners of the 2006 FIFA World Cup? Not just the Italian football team, but also the nation of Germany, which emerged from the competition as a safe, friendly, and hospitable nation. Branding a city – and even a nation – will be one of the topics discussed by Scott Bedbury, one of the world's leading brand consultants, when he addresses a Johannesburg audience live in a full-day event on 18 September 2007.

Bedbury will also include sessions on maximising opportunities for South African companies ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Bedbury, former chief marketing officer for Nike and Starbucks, says that a country or city must deliver to its grass roots population when trying to improve its perception. He points to the US, claiming it would take a generation to right the image wrongs of the last five years.

Effective carrier

When asked what he would do to market a city such as Johannesburg, he says the state needs to become a good citizen first, and win the minds of its population, before worrying about overseas, as its population is the most effective carrier of the message.

Says Bedbury, “Countries are brands already. They already compete for business, for tourism and for people. Cities also function in this way.”

A country's brand consists of its culture, landscape, environment, politics, religion, resources, business environment – and its citizens and inhabitants.

Organised by Global Leaders, the knowledge partner for the event is SAS Institute. Go to www.globalleadersevents.com/bedbury for more information.

Scott Bedbury is a member of the Global Leaders Community Expert Panel: www.globalleaderscommunity.com and www.brandstream.com.