Brand Malta should not promote a single image, says Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis as he adopts a different view to Economy Minister Chris Cardona. While calling for more coordination between different government agencies promoting the island overseas, Dr Zammit Lewis yesterday said he preferred a multi-faceted approach to branding.
“I prefer having messages that are targeted to the different audiences we are trying to attract rather than promote a single brand,” he said on One TV breakfast show Paper Scan.
His preference contrasted with what Dr Cardona told a conference organised by audit firm EY last week that discussed foreign direct investment.
During a panel discussion Dr Cardona lamented Malta’s lack of visibility outside the EU and supported the argument put forward by former Tony Blair spin doctor Alistair Campbell that the island should adopt “a master image”.
The minister’s stand was in sharp contrast to the position adopted by Mario Vella, who runs Malta Enterprise, the agency tasked to attract foreign investors.
Work on Brand Malta is already under way and the initial product will be finalised in the coming months
Sitting in the same panel as his political master, Dr Vella argued that none of the major industrial investors came to Malta because they saw “an advert”. He said that messages should be tailored according to the needs of the specific sectors Malta wanted to target.
Dr Zammit Lewis yesterday agreed with this line of thought, adding that the divergent views within the government gave rise to a healthy debate on the matter.
In the aftermath of the conference, Dr Cardona said the work to develop Brand Malta, a concerted effort between government entities channelled through a single focal point, had started.
“Work on Brand Malta is already under way and the initial product will be finalised in the coming months,” Dr Cardona said.
Some years ago a similar branding exercise promoted by then tourism minister Francis Zammit Dimech had to be trashed after controversy ensued.
Judging from the initial salvos, it seems the latest branding effort will be no less controversial.
ksansone@timesofmalta.com