Summary
Božo Skoko: The State as a Brand
Managing National Identity
Although the mere mention of the word brand in the Croatian language makes their hair stand on end, even linguists cannot deny the real state of affairs: brands have taken over the world.
Maybe you produce good beer, maybe you drive the best car in the world, maybe you are the perfect presidential candidate, maybe you live in the most beautiful city and in the most beautiful country in the whole world - it will be of no value to you and no one will believe your word or sight if you have not branded things: invested money, time and intelligence in your own promotion and meaningful management of your own identity and image.
Therefore, it is no wonder that the world's economic and political powers, regardless of their real and proven strength and power have been systematically taking care of their own national identity and image for tens of years, about their own image in a globalized world where image is used as soft power, i.e. as a "powerful peacetime weapon in achieving their own goals" (R. Vukadinović). This is not just about simple propaganda, i.e. about coming up with catchy slogans, filming successful videos and creating recognizable designs, but about far-reaching changes in the functioning of the state and the consciousness of its inhabitants.
What exactly is branding and managing national identity and image, how branding and successful communication, for example public relations, have become the primary skill of the 21st century on the political, economic, diplomatic, scientific, sports and cultural level and what Croatia has done in that area are the topics of pioneering studies printed in this textbook, the first Croatian theoretical book on the phenomenon of branding.
Biblos Newsletter
New titles, special copies and quiet recommendations from the antiquarian bookshop.