Branded an expert by reputation
He lists Prudential, British Telecom, and the Metropolitan Police in London among the organizations he has worked with. Olins has also helped enhance the image of Portugal and created the Spanish brand. He is the chairman of Saffron Brand Consultants, and is a consultant for the Polish Chamber of Commerce and the Institute of Polish Brand. Here, Olins speaks about the challenge Poland faces in marketing itself.
Michał Pakulniewicz: How is Poland seen by people in the West and what is the country's image in the old Europe?
Wally Olins: Generally, people in the so-called old EU are for the most part ignorant of the new member states and can't tell which one is which. All the eastern countries are viewed as distant, poor, backward. Poland's case is no different, although it is more recognizable than the other countries. Most people in the West probably couldn't name any cities in Poland other than Warsaw and perhaps Kraków, and some have heard of Solidarity. But Poland is beginning to be seen differently, mainly due to its size and also because of the media coverage that the death of the Pope received in the last few weeks. Things are beginning to change in Poland's favor.
Has Poland's image changed following its accession to the EU?
Like I said, people in the West do not know much about the CEE countries. However, after entering the EU it is starting to be seen as located not so far away; there are now cheap flights regularly connecting Poland with many cities in the West, and people in the UK and Germany are having contact with Polish workers. Also, Poland's recent activities in Ukraine received a lot of coverage and had a big role in putting Poland in the spotlight. [People in the West] are becoming less ignorant of [Poland] and its image is favorably changing.
You mentioned the heightened media coverage of Poland in the wake of the death of the Pope . . .
The current issues in the media and the extent of their coverage of the events in the Vatican probably won't last longer than a few more weeks. However, the fact that the Pope is widely associated with Poland plus the projection of the Pope by all media, which portray him as a hero and one of the greatest men of the second half of the 20th century, could hugely help Poland.
Are there any particular products that Poland is associated with?
There are some Polish products that are recognized and related to the country, for instance vodka, sausages and some jams. However, one must keep in mind that there is only one brand from Central and Eastern Europe that is widely known in the West and the world and that is Skoda, which is associated with the Czech Republic. The so-called flagship brands have importance as they can help to define the image of the country. But in the globalized world their relevance is declining, often it is more important where you do your production or research and development, and where you do your outsourcing.
What could be Poland's flagship product?
There are products that are recognized as Polish and are successful. I'm sure that in the future Poland will develop a flagship brand. One must keep in mind that a flagship product doesn't necessarily have to be a hi-tech product, a car or an alcohol. It could be a beautiful city or a famous person. I personally think that the film industry is close to being a Polish flagship product - Polish filmmakers such as Wajda and Polański are very highly regarded.
What should Poland stress when promoting its image abroad?
Poland has nearly 40 million inhabitants, it is among the six or seven major countries in Europe and its significance in the EU will be constantly increasing. Poland shouldn't just stress one thing; it has a number of features worth promoting, such as tourism - there are many undiscovered, beautiful places in Poland. The political dimension is important too - Poland will be increasingly active on the international scene and it links East with West. Its importance will grow. It's full of young, very well-educated people, which should bring in foreign investments. But the most interesting thing about Poland is the creative tension, the creative individualism that characterizes Poles, which you can't witness in the old European countries.
Intervied by
Michał Pakulniewicz
Michał Pakulniewicz: How is Poland seen by people in the West and what is the country's image in the old Europe?
Wally Olins: Generally, people in the so-called old EU are for the most part ignorant of the new member states and can't tell which one is which. All the eastern countries are viewed as distant, poor, backward. Poland's case is no different, although it is more recognizable than the other countries. Most people in the West probably couldn't name any cities in Poland other than Warsaw and perhaps Kraków, and some have heard of Solidarity. But Poland is beginning to be seen differently, mainly due to its size and also because of the media coverage that the death of the Pope received in the last few weeks. Things are beginning to change in Poland's favor.
Has Poland's image changed following its accession to the EU?
Like I said, people in the West do not know much about the CEE countries. However, after entering the EU it is starting to be seen as located not so far away; there are now cheap flights regularly connecting Poland with many cities in the West, and people in the UK and Germany are having contact with Polish workers. Also, Poland's recent activities in Ukraine received a lot of coverage and had a big role in putting Poland in the spotlight. [People in the West] are becoming less ignorant of [Poland] and its image is favorably changing.
You mentioned the heightened media coverage of Poland in the wake of the death of the Pope . . .
The current issues in the media and the extent of their coverage of the events in the Vatican probably won't last longer than a few more weeks. However, the fact that the Pope is widely associated with Poland plus the projection of the Pope by all media, which portray him as a hero and one of the greatest men of the second half of the 20th century, could hugely help Poland.
Are there any particular products that Poland is associated with?
There are some Polish products that are recognized and related to the country, for instance vodka, sausages and some jams. However, one must keep in mind that there is only one brand from Central and Eastern Europe that is widely known in the West and the world and that is Skoda, which is associated with the Czech Republic. The so-called flagship brands have importance as they can help to define the image of the country. But in the globalized world their relevance is declining, often it is more important where you do your production or research and development, and where you do your outsourcing.
What could be Poland's flagship product?
There are products that are recognized as Polish and are successful. I'm sure that in the future Poland will develop a flagship brand. One must keep in mind that a flagship product doesn't necessarily have to be a hi-tech product, a car or an alcohol. It could be a beautiful city or a famous person. I personally think that the film industry is close to being a Polish flagship product - Polish filmmakers such as Wajda and Polański are very highly regarded.
What should Poland stress when promoting its image abroad?
Poland has nearly 40 million inhabitants, it is among the six or seven major countries in Europe and its significance in the EU will be constantly increasing. Poland shouldn't just stress one thing; it has a number of features worth promoting, such as tourism - there are many undiscovered, beautiful places in Poland. The political dimension is important too - Poland will be increasingly active on the international scene and it links East with West. Its importance will grow. It's full of young, very well-educated people, which should bring in foreign investments. But the most interesting thing about Poland is the creative tension, the creative individualism that characterizes Poles, which you can't witness in the old European countries.
Intervied by
Michał Pakulniewicz
