Reykjavík Grapevine - 11.10.2013, Síða 34

SPUNTINI
RISOTTO
PASTA
CLASSICS
DESSERTS
UNO at Ingólfstorg | Tel. 561 1313 | www.uno.is
The kitchen is open until
midnight on weekends
17:00 – 23:00 sun. – thu.
You “want to move outside the herd
and be independent” because you
are “different from the 'ordinary'
tourist.” You “have above average
education” and you “have above
average income,” says the Icelandic
Tourist Industry Association’s report
from last year, defining their target
group, ‘the enlightened tourist.’ And
boy, are you targeted.
Since 2010, the local population
has been thoroughly informed about
the importance of proper social
media utilisation. In its 2012 annual
report, the national branding bureau
known as Promote Iceland states
that the general public is being ‘har-
vested’ for this purpose. That year,
Promote Iceland also ‘assisted’ some
600 foreign journalists in organising
their visits to the country. Journal-
ists and bloggers coming specifically
for events sponsored by Promote
Iceland wrote 1,400 articles, includ-
ing pieces in The New York Times,
Huffington Post, The Guardian and
so on. Sponsored events included
music festivals, food festivals, dance,
theatre and design festivals. And a
marathon.
Meanwhile, a few Hollywood film
productions were funded directly
through Iceland’s state budget, using
Tom Cruise, Ben Stiller and Ridley
Scott and their fine productions for
the promotion of Icelandic land-
scapes. If no such subtle methods of
nation-branding get to you, of course
some good old advertising is also
involved.
Bad breath, meet white
teeth
In late 2007, in response to what was
locally perceived as an image-crisis,
mainly that some foreigners were
sceptical about the growth of Icelan-
dic banks, the Prime Ministry formed
a committee on the Image of Iceland.
A few months later, in April 2008, the
committee published its findings in
a report. The report’s main proposal
was that various institutes dealing
with exports, culture and diplomacy,
should be put under the control of
one bureau to unify broadcast mes-
sages. One correspondent quoted
in the report explained that we must
“walk in unison and speak with one
voice.” The report suggested that
institute be called Promote Iceland.
Then came October, the boom went
bust, and mass protests were fol-
lowed by a change of government—
making the need for image-manage-
ment plain for all to see. As stated in
the report, “future orientation must
be long-term, and must not change
along with changes in government
every few years and the nation must
agree on it.”
In 2010, the marketers faced a
unique challenge, an unforeseen
national branding emergency, as
Eyjafjallajökull erupted, disrupting
the flight schedules of millions. As if
stories of crooked bankers, political
incompetence and violent riots were
not enough, travellers all over now
cursed Iceland for its geo-historically
bad breath. Thank god work on
Promote Iceland was already well
under way. The necessary legislation
was hastened and before the erup-
tion was over, Parliament passed the
Promote Iceland Law (38-2010). This
sputnik institute whipped up the so-
cial media-based campaign 'Inspired
by Iceland' and before anyone knew
how to pronounce Eyjafjallajökull,
Icelanders appeared on YouTube,
dancing to Emiliana Torrini's “Jungle
Drum” in the seemingly eternal sun-
shine of spotless fun. Post the video,
spread the message, officials urged
their compatriots: show people ev-
erything is alright, invite friends over.
And tourism went up. Solid nation-
branding, Promote Iceland’s unified
message was obviously a winner.
After being hailed as the world’s
radical wunderkind for a few years,
Iceland left observers perplexed
when the parties evidently respon-
sible for its failed neoliberal experi-
ment were voted back in 2013. The
right-wing coalition government just
published its first annual budget pro-
posals, for 2014. Schools, hospitals,
welfare, culture, arts and sciences
face the world’s most terrifying
euphemism: austerity. One single
item in the whole budget, however,
is explicitly declared ‘exempt from
budget cuts’: Promote Iceland. The
law passed through Al$ingi without
debate in 2010 established an
institute funded by taxes, but run by
a board majority appointed by the
Confederation of Icelandic Employers
(CIE). Yes, there is such a thing. And
yes, it is what it proclaims to be: the
Words
Haukur Már Helgason
Come And Meet The Members
Of The Brand
After being hailed as the world’s radical wunderkind for a few years, Iceland left
observers perplexed when the parties evidently responsible for its failed neoliberal
experiment were voted back in 2013. Who or what runs this shop, really?
Still From the Inspired By Iceland video
Issue 16 — 2013 34Tourism