Re-launching America as a brand

By Sabrina Walters
VCU Communications and Public Relations

It was standing room only at the 14th Annual International Business Forum when more than 300 people listened to panelists discuss “Re-launching Brand America” at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Each year the forum presents global topics focusing on trends and issues affecting America and its business opportunities around the world. This year, the topic resonated on the home front by analyzing the reputation of the United States and addressing ways to appropriately re-launch America as a positive brand worldwide. 

The forum, presented by the VCU School of Business and the VCU Brandcenter, provided ideas on strategically approaching anti-Americanism by “Re-Launching Brand America.” The event was sponsored by the Universal Corp.

Anti-Americanism appears to be an increasing global trend, with the constant development of negative perceptions and issues affecting the Americas and its reputation, according to panelists. The disapproval affects the United States’ national security, its economy and the future of Americans’ purchasing and business practices globally.

The four panelists were keynote speaker Keith Reinhard, president of Business for Diplomatic Action; Carola McGiffert, vice president and chief of staff for the Center for Strategic and International Studies; Simcha Ronen, Ph.D., professor of organizational psychology and comparative management at Tel Aviv University; and Peter Weedfald, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Circuit City.
 
Van R. Wood, Ph.D., Philip Morris chair of international business and professor of global marketing at VCU, moderated the event.

“Although the United States only contributes to 5 percent of the population, it holds 25 percent of the world’s wealth,” said Wood. "Branding is a big part of America’s future.”

“Thinking of America as a brand may restore our reputation,” Reinhard said as he presented detailed steps of how to correctly re-launch America as a respectable brand. “The re-launch should encompass new strategies, structures and a new style with which brand America presents itself.”

After the transformation, Reinhard predicts that everyone will view America as a joyful, diverse and a welcoming country provided the citizens re-embrace core values of “the promise for liberty and justice for all.”

McGiffert, stressed the importance of a smarter, more secure America. 

“With the onslaught of new challenges today, the United States requires a blend of hard power and soft power which equals smart power,” said McGiffert. “Smart power is neither hard nor soft but the skillful combination of the two.”

By following the principles and practices of smart power, McGiffert believes that Brand America could advance in business circles.
 
“You may have the best strategy, but if you can’t build relationships it doesn’t matter,” said Wood.

Ronen presented his international research analyzing cross-cultural management styles.

“Global mindset combines an openness to and awareness of diversity across cultures and markets,” said Ronen, whose findings showed clusters of countries with similar attitudes and perceptions.

According to Ronen’s theory, it is important to recognize differences among cultures and diversity among management during international business transactions.  

Weedfald believes in the obligation of a team of people to build Brand America. He says Americans cannot afford to have the world’s largest museum of failed products and that Brand America needs to be strong from heart, mind and technology.