6. The Slovak Republic
6.6 Creating the Slovak Brand
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the MFEA structures was the cancellation of the Council of Government for Joint Presentation as a result of its ineffectiveness and its roles were redirected to the Slovak Tourist Board219 agency and since then the coordination job falls within its competence. A new Department for Presentation of the Preparation of Nation Branding was established which presented a proposal called “Slovakia: Country with potential.” 220
The last Annual Report from 2012, claims that: “In 2012 the ministry was significantly more active and more focused in terms of the quality of public and cultural diplomacy. (…) We have started to see more of a focus on “soft diplomacy” in Slovak foreign policy, a more sophisticated means of promoting Slovakia’s interests abroad through cultural projects and representations that transverse a wide range of genres.”221 In reality, all the events and activities described in the report under the PD and Cultural diplomacy section, have the essence of cultural diplomacy, such as concerts, exhibitions and the presentation of Slovak culture within various international events.
6.6 Creating the Slovak Brand
6.6.1 The Current PD
As we can see, Slovak public diplomacy has passed through various stages of evolution, through various attempts of a formulation and its effective use in practice. Various bodies, agencies and departments have been established and abolished with more or less success. What the Slovak MFEA has been trying to create through the years was a unified approach, unified message and a unified image that Slovakia would be able to present abroad and which would reflect the reality and at the same time it would be based on credibility.
219 SACR (Slovenská Agentúra Cestovného Ruchu) .
220 SACR, 2012. Annual Report 2011, [Online] Available at: http://www.sacr.sk/sacr/o-nas/vyrocne-spravy/.[Accessed 19 5 2014].
221 Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, 2013. Foreign Policy in 2012, Bratislava: p.43.
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As this work will explain later, within the region of Central Europe, it is crucial to find a unique, exceptional and outstanding story which would distinguish Slovakia from its rather similar neighbors. The search for nation brand is essential in order to build a strong base for Slovakia.
6.6.2 Searching for a brand: “Slovakia, country with potential”
Similarly as in other new EU member countries, branding was developed together with economic diplomacy prior to any intentional public diplomacy strategies as a form of attracting foreign investment to the newly opened market.
In 2011 a conceptual framework called “Slovakia: Country with Potential” was introduced by the Slovak Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs as an attempt to create a unified message which is desired to be sent abroad, portraying Slovakia as a modern European country of the 21st century. This document is reported to be the first step in the very important representation of Slovakia and it is a result of the coordinated work of various experts from distinctive fields who could contribute to the formation of the concept of Slovak contemporary identity and its story.222
The authors start their proposal with a closer examination of the Slovak Republic as such and its attributes which are essential for nation branding. Slovakia has been at a crossroads in the “heart” of Europe for many centuries. A crossroads of business routes, cultures, interests and geopolitical entities. They believe that Slovakia can be considered to be a “small laboratory” or a representative mixture of Central Europe where innovation and dynamics blossom.223
There are 3 central notions on which the brand of Slovakia should be built220:
222 Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovak Republic, 2011. Slovakia: Country with Potential, Bratislava: MFEA of Slovak Republic.p.3.
223 Ibid., p.38.
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! Originality: The conservative dimension of the "Slovak imprint" is represented by inveteracy, tradition and heritage by which the country is characterized. The turbulent previous history alongside the short history of independence, characterize Slovakia as a peculiar country, full of paradoxes, which form the basis of the Slovak specific dynamics.
! Vitality: One of the Slovak principal features is the ability to survive, be resilient and adaptable. The synergy of strength, opportunities and interesting people, with certain tensions and nervousness natural for Slovakia, results in creativity, talent and shrewdness, which creates continuous improvement and chances for innovation.
Vitality evokes constant change, positive instability, which induces increasing dynamics.
! Diversity: Slovakia is a country full of contrasts - natural, cultural and social. This diversity and multiplicity, is concentrated in a small area and the report suggests that Slovak innovation arises from unexpected connections. The natural diversity has a great potential for tourism as it provides experiential combinations that elsewhere are not available.
This conceptual framework suggests that the possible potential for Slovakia can be found in various different aspects which are characteristic for this central European country. Even though the fact that The Slovak Republic is quite unknown is considered mostly to be a challenge or an obstacle, it can also be seen as an advantage, as it can be a parallel for a country which is young, fresh, undiscovered and is ready to surprise.224
Based on a recent representative public opinion poll conducted in Slovakia, four key values have been identified, reflecting the overall preference of the population - safety,
224 Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovak Republic, 2011. Slovakia: Country with Potential, Bratislava: MFEA of Slovak Republic.p.28.
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education, dignity and exceptionality. The study of Oľga Algayerová proposes these values to form the fundamental basis for planning and implementing all further PD activities.225
Also a slogan branding Slovakia as - “A little-big country” has been created, perhaps trying to put in contrast the size of the country with a level of its achievements and treasures.226
6.6.3 The Future of Slovak PD
In an analytical paper denoted “Middle term strategy for the development of public diplomacy within the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovak Republic”, written by Sláviková, Bilčík and Duleba, there are four possible scenarios for the future united presentation of Slovakia. Authors suggest that it is indispensable to create a central plan on the state level in order to achieve a better and more effective public diplomacy which would follow the pivotal concept.227 The three recommendations for a creation of an effective Slovak PD are:
" Create an improved institutional design, a central body that would coordinate all the public diplomacy related work, encompassing representatives from various ministries and agencies.
" Create a unified message or image of Slovakia which would show Slovakia as an attractive destination for foreign investment and tourism.
" Implement a strategy of central planning and analysis of domestic and foreign publics which would be determined by specific goals of each sector.
225 Algayerová O., 2010. Establishment of Public Diplomacy In Slovakia: An Effective New Approach, Valletta: University of Malta.p.2.
226 Ibid.,p.18.
227 Sláviková, E., Bilčík, V. & Duleba, A., 2009. Medium-term strategy for development of public diplomacy within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of SLovak Republic, Bratislava: Slovak Foreing Policy Association.
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Mallicková proclaims that it is important to anchor the PD strategies in the values, character and identity of Slovakia as an international player and it is indispensable to build this image nationwide. From the perspective of credibility, it is crucial to construct the framework on the basis of a wide range consensus at home. In that case, we would be able to talk about legitimate goals of Slovakian foreign policy in which the cooperation between governmental bodies, non-governmental organizations and civil society is fundamental.228
Slovak PD is practiced at the domestic as well as at the foreign audience’s level. While in 2010 Algayerová states that in the case of Slovakia, “at the domestic level the MFEA briefs domestic public on a daily basis through the media and its website, it does not exert any additional effort to conduct a two-way communication. In principle, this amounts to an explanation of one’s position, or supply of information, i.e. a one-way communication flow.”229
The situation changes in 2013 when a website debating the concept and future of Slovak public diplomacy and the nation branding in particular is launched. This project is described more in detail further in this chapter (6.8.4. New Terminology (Branding)), portraying the progressive evolution and incorporation of the new public diplomacy in Slovakia.
With the purpose of establishing a successful PD, Slovakia’s tactics should engage all possible layers of the society in a two-way dialogue and this approach is quite extraordinary and innovative in the central European environment. Therefore it can be regarded as a positive advancement and brighter prospect for the evolution of Slovak public diplomacy. The implementation of the two-way dialogue instrument has potential to gather useful information
228 Mallicková, E., 2010. Public Diplomacy as a Priority of Slovak Ministry of Foreing Affairs. Bratislava, Ústav európskych štúdií a medzinárodných vzťahov, FSEV UK.p.10.
229 Algayerová, O., 2010. Establishment of Public Diplomacy In Slovakia: An Effective New Approach, Valletta: University of Malta.p.2.
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and outlook not only from the experts but also from the general public and thus encroach the creation of a successful and strong Slovak brand.