Turkey's Nation Branding for the 2050s: Challenges and Opportunities

Introduction

The sections that follow present a critical review of the national branding of Turkey as the country approaches the year 2050. The discussion references the challenges and opportunities that the state is expected to face during this period. In the next section, the theoretical background regarding the branding of the nation is reviewed, as are the basic governing characteristics so that the reader can easily refer to them. It is important that researchers clearly identify the defined variables and the specific frame of reference within which the available theoretical tools are used. Then, the specific case of Turkey is discussed. A general description of the country’s past history and current situation is seen as necessary and helpful to better understanding the linkage issues that the nation is promoting in its vision. The chapter then describes the selected targets aligned with Turkey’s vision and the strategies that must be implemented. Finally, a general reference to the global environment and the outlook for Turkey’s national branding is given, along with a generic set of proposals and recommendations for any nation concerning its brand development.

Turkey’s expansion in the Middle East over the past decade seems to be taking place in terms of its hard power, as happened in the cases of conflict zones in Syria and northern Iraq, where Turkey sought to downplay its role as the regional protector of other Muslim countries, especially after the decline of the terrorist group, ISIS. However, it is also important and remarkable that Turkey has been applying several means of soft power, including its support of the cultural and tourism industry. It is impressive how Turkish movies, TV series, and news channels and broadcasts have been widely accepted by the people of the Middle East, with Turkey’s cultural arm having huge success in leveraging interfaith countries to serve its interests. Among other characteristics of Turkey, which are noted by the branding campaign, are the following (Nas, 2017):

• ▪

  History: The notion of history is utilized as “a crucial denominator in constituting Turkish national identity”.

• ▪

  Brand: The aim and details of Turkey’s brand included the logo, which “was inspired by the original geometry of Kufic calligraphy and that of the art of Kilim tapestry.”

• ▪

  Advertisements: Promotion is available in many foreign languages, such as English, French, German, Italian, and Arabic. There are references to Turkey’s cultural heritage, such as Ephesus, Galata Tower, and the Topkapi Palace Museum; the fashion industry; the Turkish Airlines; the health and diet (food) industry; hospitality; and the ability to visit the country throughout the year.

As a further step to improve and strengthen the national brand, it may be necessary for the Turkish authorities to revisit some of the critical characteristics that are used during the campaigns, such as the following (Nas, 2017, pp. 217–219):

• ▪

  As emphasis is given to the historicity of the Turkish nation, Turkey risks being seen as the “inheritor of previous civilizations in the region”.

• ▪

  The promoted story views Turkey as the nexus of different cultures and civilizations, promoting the nation as a bridge that connects the East and the West.

• ▪

  It seems that Turkey’s Eastern identity is gaining more emphasis and becoming more attractive.

• ▪

  The logo used in several campaigns consists of different cross-cultural motifs and aims to attract people from the international market “to explore, discover and take part in the mysterious array of meanings and potentials offered by the richness of the motifs.”

• ▪

  All previous campaigns have tried to attract the citizens of the country to assist in forming the brand identity by considering themselves “as the members of the nation, capable of living, working and innovating together, at the same time adjusting their core cultural values to the necessities of modern life.”