ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the truthfulness of the German republic's new “clothing” and analyses whether branding is all about perception, rather than concrete outcomes for society beyond superficialities. It also addresses the question of how to design a cohesive brand for a newly unified country rooted in two opposing political systems and self-understandings, one communist and one capitalist. The chapter examines the history behind Germany's branding. Nation branding aims to turn a nation into a commodity that can be marketed internationally and domestically. Wolff-Olins' book is insightful, detailing underpinnings of the nation branding concept. It starts with a “needs analysis” pointing out that Germans struggle with their past, especially national symbols, and are embarrassed to reveal their nationality abroad, as their image is loaded with prejudices. The chapter explores the actual German nation brand campaign, Land of Ideas. The institutional nation branders attempted to create a new chronotope for Germany, using the summer fairy-tale surrounding the FIFA Football World Cup.
