EU branding. Efforts to improve the EU image
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CASE STUDY
EU branding. Efforts to improve the EU image Ioulia Elmatzoglou1 Revised: 3 March 2020 / Published online: 30 September 2020 © Springer Nature Limited 2020
Abstract The aim of this paper is to examine to what extent nation branding can be applied to the European Union (EU) concerning EU efforts to enhance its image and reputation, particularly after the arrival of several crises such as the economic and migration crisis, Brexit, etc. Exploring previous but also current attempts of the EU to better communicate itself, the paper shows how EU communication shifted from communication campaigns focused on politicized issues such as EU citizenship, “EU public sphere” and a “common sense of belonging” to a more pragmatic “branding” strategy. The sui generis nature of the EU is also taken into consideration in a comparative analysis between nation and EU branding displaying similarities, particularities or constraints the EU presents regarding branding issues. Emphasis is also put on the May 2019 European Parliament election campaign where the new EU branding strategy was applied more systematically. Keywords Nation branding · EU branding · EU image · EU strategic communication · EU identity
Introduction The way the European Union (EU) communicates itself has evolved over the years ranging from one-way communication campaigns in order to inform European citizens, to a more participatory model trying to establish a relationship with people. Recently and particularly after the arrival of unprecedented crises in the EU such as the economic and migration crisis, and the UK’s withdrawal from the Union, a new shift in the way the EU communicates with the public has been observed in order to reverse the rising public Euroscepticism. A more pragmatic and integrated branding effort, concerning the promotion of a positive EU image, has been developed with a view to restoring EU’s reputation, both in internal and external audiences. These efforts could
The article is based on a presentation of the author during the 4th Annual Conference of IPBA (2019) and does not reflect the official policy or position of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This article won the Palgrave best conference paper award at the Fourth Annual Conference of the International Place Branding Association in Volos, Greece, November 27–29 2019.
be described as an attempt to enhance the EU’s competitive identity, as this term is defined in Anholt’s work.1 The purpose of this paper is to examine to what extent the recent efforts to enhance the EU’s image can be considered as nation branding, taking into account the particularities of the EU as a sui generis political entity. The paper commences with a short historical overview of the EU communication efforts in relation to public opinion trends toward the EU. It further analyses the new EU branding strategy through content and narrative analysis putting emphasis on language and storytelling. The paper continues by making comparisons between nation and EU branding unpacking the particularities of
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