Swedish national brand story

When mentioning Sweden, I’m sure one of the first brands to think of is Volvo, but there’s also the globally renowned H&M brand, which produces clothing, footwear and fashion accessories. Or IKEA, which changes the homes of many families around the world every day, came to mind. The most technologically famous Swedish brand is Ericsson, whose part of the global solutions to technological challenges are born in Zagreb, in the company Ericsson Nikola Tesla, which had the honor to host the Swedish royal family. Electrolux household appliances and the company for the production of buses, trucks and diesel engines for machines and ships, Scania, are also present on the world stage. One of the world's largest brands is the Nobel Prize, which is awarded for outstanding research, new techniques and technologies or exceptional contribution to society in the fields of economics, physics, physiology or medicine, chemistry, literature and peace. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awards prizes in physics, chemistry and economics, the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute awards prizes in physiology or medicine, the Swedish Academy awards prizes in literature, and the Peace Prize is awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

This is a clear example of a planned approach and vision in which one country, or rather its leaders, understand the importance of the concepts of brand, branding, brand culture and brand creation and more importantly - brand upgrading. The Swedish brand also includes the Swedish royal family and the museum museum, of which Vasa is certainly the most famous.

Let's go back to the key brand strategy, and that is "NSU", which oversees four key institutions under which there are different brand stories that are only being upgraded. They are: "Visit Sweden", the official tourist information web portal backed by the Swedish National Tourism Organization; Invest Sweden, a government agency for the promotion of business and investment opportunities, and the Swedish Institute and the Swedish Trade Council. What is important to point out is that these organizations are not under political control, but are led by experts, and the organizations themselves are responsible for conducting business independently.

This gives a strong message to countries that do not have such an organizational structure or have not positioned their brand strategy, that they can easily take over this national business model of branding, which we should definitely need in Croatia, but also in the countries of the region.

When we talk about branding Sweden, we are talking about the vision of creating a presentation of national identity where everything is transparent and visible on the digital platform sweden.se. However, the brand is also created through innovation. Erik Wallenberg, in 1944, made a packaging concept called Tetra Pak, which was technologically started to be produced by Ruben Rausing. Tetra Pak was considered the most successful Swedish invention because it replaced globally the way we package milk, which was previously delivered exclusively in glass bottles. Swedish innovations include the first pacemaker transplant in 1958 at the Karolinska Institutet University Hospital. The inventor of the device was Rune Elmquist, and the surgeon Ake Seninng. The patient, Arne Larsson, changed 26 pacemakers and outlived the inventor and surgeon when he died in 2001, at the age of 86. Swedish carmaker Saab first added seat belts to cars as part of standard equipment back in 1958, after which it became a global industry standard. The modern form of this technology was perfected and introduced by another Swedish company, Volvo.

Sweden has more than 90,000 lakes larger than 100x100 m, and 86% of Swedes live in cities. Sverige, as the Swedes call their homeland, reaches -50?C in the far north, and up to + 38?C in the south. All this is a brand of one country, which is communicated by Sweden. However, when we talk about the openness of the country and freedom, the fact is that Sweden is one of the most open when it comes to LGBT rights. Since 1995, same-sex partnerships have been legalized in Sweden, and since 2009, same-sex marriage has been legalized. Another example of openness and freedom is the fact that Sweden was the first country in the world to ban corporal punishment of children in schools back in 1958, due to a public debate initiated by Staffan Janson, a pediatrician and professor of public health in Karlstad, in 1979. He banned violence against children and at home. Croatia adopted this regulation only in 1999, and Macedonia in 2013. It should be mentioned that these are the only two countries in the region that have this type of regulation.

All of these are actions that created the perception of Sweden as a state, that is, they created its brand. Advanced thinking and openness represent motivation, energy, modern views, honesty and careful approach in communication processes, as well as inner freedom and calmness. These principles are the basis of the platform and basic values of creating the national brand identity of Sweden, which applies them daily in all two-way communications within the country, but also abroad. It is the strategic foundation of all activities of the "NSU" organization and the direction for the development of new drafts and programs to upgrade the perception of Swedish brands and Sweden as a brand. My wish is that this text inspires our country as well, to create our brand story through the example of Sweden.