At least not Down Under. Today’s post comes to us from John Seng, Founder and CEO of GLOBALHealthPR US Partner and Chair, Spectrum.
Traveling down the south coast of Australia following our GLOBALHealthPR annual meeting several weeks ago, I stopped in at a NewsPower store in Bateman’s Bay to look for a souvenir or two for family members, plus to satisfy a little curiosity about what Aussies read today.
Today’s blog comes to us from Berbés Asociados, our GLOBALHealthPR partner in Spain. 
2013 was not a good year for the media in Spain, according to a new annual study of the Madrid Press Association. Last year, a total of 4,434 journalists lost their jobs and 73 media companies closed. [Read more…] about Spain’s Journalists: Happy Professionals?
Today’s blog post comes to us from Mayra Lopes of GLOBALHealthPR Brazil partner, Tino Comunicação.
There is a common saying here that Brazil is o país do futebol, or “country of football.” It is easy to understand why: Brazilian players wear five stars on their jerseys, one for each World Cup the country has won. Some of the sport’s most famous stars – Pelé, Garrincha, Ronaldo, Kaká and now Neymar – are Brazilian. And, Brazil invented the so-called “Art of Football.” So yes, most will easily agree that Brazil is revered in the sport. Seven years ago, when FIFA President Joseph Blatter confirmed that Brazil would host the tournament in 2014, the country was abuzz with both positive and negative reactions. Now, a few months away from the event, there is still a lot to do and the country’s critics are speaking out through the international press on an almost daily basis.
PR opportunities at the World Cup? Not so fast
What could have been a great opportunity to generate PR has become taboo. Only the official sponsors of the World Cup are allowed to use the event’s name, logo and mascot. Also, TV Globo is the only TV license holder in Brazil, meaning no other channel can broadcast any match. Together with FIFA, they have created a number of rules and consequences for those who use the event’s name without the right permission.
Nation Branding
Countries use sporting events to attain visibility and to work on what some call “cultural diplomacy,” and what others call “nation branding.” Simply put, it aims to measure, build and manage the reputation of countries. Philip Kotler, world-class marketing expert, defines nation-branding as: “The sum of beliefs and impressions people hold about place. Images represent a simplification of a large number of associations and pieces of information connected with a place. They are a product of the mind trying to process and pick out essential information from huge amounts of data about a place.”[1]
The 2010 World Cup in South Africa and 2012 London Olympics are the latest examples of successful ‘nation branding’ plans. South Africa managed to surprise the whole world and break old stereotypes. It left the country an enormous legacy, promoting its image as a trustworthy and hospitable place to visit. The Olympics also left a positive mark on Britain: the Nations Brand Index research, which rates 50 nations on criteria such as culture and tourism, found that Great Britain now occupies the 4th place, whereas before the event it was in 5th.
After the Cup: Potential Changes in Brazil
Because of Brazil’s great reputation for football – combined with its increasing relevance in the global sphere as a leader of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) – Brazilians are beginning to worry about the future. They worry that the country’s current infrastructure (from airports to urban mobility and violence) will not support the torrent of visitors, and that the Brazilian team won’t win their sixth star.
Despite the fearful conversations and the lack of progress at building sites, our leaders are optimistic. Simon Anholt, another expert on the topic, says that “nation branding” should not over-promise or try to make a country appear to be something it is not. “Marketing teaches us that people cannot be deceived for long; that the higher you raise their expectations, the more completely they reject your offering when they are disappointed.”[2]
With the big tournament just months away, the country’s anxiety level is growing. Neymar, the golden boy, just got injured and became mixed-up in polemics. To top it off, a major construction accident happened in the stadium where the World Cup’s opening is supposed to take place. The clock is ticking and if Brazil wins the World Cup and everything goes smoothly, great. If not, let’s hope Brazilian leaders have a good crisis management plan and some other good tricks up their sleeves.
Is there a new game-changer in Brazilian journalism? Laís Cattassini of Tino Comunicação, GLOBALHealthPR’s partner in Brazil discusses.
Here in Brazil, there is no question journalism has seen a dramatic change over the years. Although I am not old enough to have experienced what some would call “the good old days,” my generation is now part of a new way of making news.
One group of young people is trying to do it differently—trying to change the way we produce and consume the news. They call themselves “ninjas.” Not as in warriors or as in spies. Well…maybe. NINJA is an acronym for “Narrativas Independentes, Jornalismo e Ação” (Independent Narratives, Journalism and Action). Unlike big-media journalists, these ninjas are part of the action, sometimes even provoking the facts. [Read more…] about They Call Themselves “Ninjas”
Featured in the May Issue of Meisose Publicidade
Featured in the May Issue of Marketing Farmacêutico
By John J. Seng, Founder and President of Spectrum in Washington, D.C.; Chair, GLOBALHealthPR
One of the goals we strive for at my Washington, D.C.-based health communications firm, Spectrum, is flawless performance for clients. We invest the time to ensure that we completely understand our clients’ needs in the U.S. marketplace, and design creative, strategic plans grounded in science and research. We then move forward with every expectation of “smooth sailing.”
[Read more…] about Global Pharma Public Relations – “Get Local” and Demonstrate Value
