Develop of Country Brand

By Pittaluga Abogados

Sponsored by the Inter-American Development Bank (BID) and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Uruguay (Minturd) organized in Montevideo the forum “Country Brand: management experiences”, from June 26 to 28, with the participation of national and international authorities, specialists and professionals.

In the opening speech, Liliam Kechichián, minister of the MINTURD, spotlighted Uruguay´s work with its Country Brand “Uruguay Natural”, trademarked in 2001. Press monitoring, promotion, product creation, use of new technologies and market studies are some of the common strategies applied to position and insert Uruguay in the world.

“Building and protecting an international image is fundamental because it provides added value to all our products and services, specifically on tourism. Uruguay Natural represents and symbolizes our country on the world”, said Kechichián.

The newest campaign related to “Uruguay Natural” was launched on June 17 in London, with 75 minicabs taxis inviting people to visit Uruguay. Graphics, images and drawings of art icon Hotel Casapueblo in Punta del Este or traditional tour Mercado del Puerto in Montevideo are stamped in the vehicles bodies and interior, along with the “Uruguay Natural” logo.

The campaign will last three months and was done by the MINTURD together with Air Europa, a Spanish flag airline that since June is operating a weekly link between Montevideo and Madrid, with connections to London and other important European cities.

Elsewhere, Uruguay is ranked 52° between 118 countries on the “2012/13 Country Brand Index” elaborated by Future Brand. The report describes Uruguay “as a country on the rise” and says: “Democratic and progressing steadily, Uruguay enjoys consistent economic growth, increasingly strong ties with Europe and numerous free trade agreements. Institutional investors are increasingly open to involvement”.