Arabian Journal <strong>of</strong> Bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>and</strong> Management Review (OMAN Chapter) Vol. 2, No.3; Oct. 2012 nurtur<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>and</strong> foster<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> development <strong>of</strong> a <strong>br<strong>and</strong></strong> that is globally acceptable can be better appreciated from this psychological focal po<strong>in</strong>t. Effective crises management <strong>in</strong>itiatives, good health practices, effective agricultural management measures <strong>and</strong> food security, as well as research <strong>and</strong> gender development, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> transformation <strong>of</strong> societies <strong>in</strong>to knowledge–based economies (where knowledge is transformed <strong>in</strong>to power), which totally redef<strong>in</strong>es <strong>and</strong> positively alters <strong>the</strong> structure <strong>of</strong> production, education, <strong>and</strong> human resource management, <strong>in</strong>itiat<strong>in</strong>g socio-political reforms that align with <strong>the</strong> spirit <strong>of</strong> globalisation, is one design achieved by <strong>film</strong>, <strong>and</strong> this scheme h<strong>in</strong>ged by <strong>film</strong>, beautifies <strong>and</strong> enhances <strong>the</strong> patronage <strong>of</strong> a <strong>br<strong>and</strong></strong> before o<strong>the</strong>r nations <strong>and</strong> compet<strong>in</strong>g <strong>br<strong>and</strong></strong>s. Socio-political attitudes, racial prejudices <strong>and</strong> stereotypes, as well as attitudes <strong>and</strong> personality, can be fundamentally reformed <strong>and</strong> altered, <strong>in</strong> l<strong>in</strong>e with <strong>the</strong> general expectation <strong>of</strong> actors <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>ternational <strong>the</strong>atre, by <strong>film</strong>, through its potential <strong>of</strong> provid<strong>in</strong>g patterns <strong>and</strong> frameworks for communication <strong>and</strong> education (both formal <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>formal) that are not just allur<strong>in</strong>g, but also capable <strong>of</strong> translat<strong>in</strong>g a <strong>br<strong>and</strong></strong> from <strong>the</strong> isl<strong>and</strong>s <strong>of</strong> rejection to <strong>the</strong> Eden <strong>of</strong> global recognition, acceptance, <strong>and</strong> patronage. The essence <strong>and</strong> extensive nature <strong>of</strong> <strong>br<strong>and</strong></strong><strong>in</strong>g or re<strong>br<strong>and</strong></strong><strong>in</strong>g (or creat<strong>in</strong>g a <strong>br<strong>and</strong></strong> that enjoys universal patronage) was captured <strong>and</strong> emphasised by DPM Mutambara, <strong>in</strong> a keynote address delivered to delegates at <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>augural Zimbabwe Tourism Stockholder’s Conference <strong>in</strong> Harare, hosted by Zimbabwe Tourism Authority <strong>in</strong> 2009, when he asserted: Tourism is central to <strong>the</strong> image <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> country. It is <strong>the</strong> face <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> country <strong>and</strong> everyone…must play his part to deal with perception that has damaged our image. Don’t ask us to re<strong>br<strong>and</strong></strong> <strong>the</strong> country. The first th<strong>in</strong>g is for you to re<strong>br<strong>and</strong></strong> yourself <strong>and</strong> make yourself relevant to <strong>the</strong> situation on ground…it is not <strong>the</strong> government’s duty alone. It is your duty. 30 The orig<strong>in</strong>al formation <strong>and</strong> packag<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> those qualities <strong>and</strong> characteristics that give an entity unique def<strong>in</strong>ition <strong>and</strong> comparative advantages over o<strong>the</strong>r compet<strong>in</strong>g entities, which when packaged is advertised to br<strong>in</strong>g fur<strong>the</strong>r advantages, respect, <strong>and</strong> patronage to <strong>the</strong> entity, <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> presence <strong>of</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r compet<strong>in</strong>g entities, is referred to as <strong>br<strong>and</strong></strong><strong>in</strong>g. For a <strong>br<strong>and</strong></strong> to be packaged <strong>and</strong> effectively advertised to garner advantages to itself, it must emit an endur<strong>in</strong>g appeal <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> m<strong>in</strong>ds <strong>of</strong> customers <strong>and</strong> targeted customers, <strong>and</strong> <strong>film</strong> as an <strong>in</strong>strument that possesses a somewhat irrevocable <strong>and</strong> last<strong>in</strong>g appeal or <strong>in</strong>fluence <strong>in</strong> an audience, is an undeniable tool to be employed <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> successful launch <strong>and</strong> promotion <strong>of</strong> a <strong>br<strong>and</strong></strong> before diverse clienteles <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>ternational amphi<strong>the</strong>atre. When a <strong>br<strong>and</strong></strong> is bir<strong>the</strong>d but advertently or <strong>in</strong>advertently suffers debility or decl<strong>in</strong>e, re<strong>br<strong>and</strong></strong><strong>in</strong>g, which is a design fabricated to revive or revitalise <strong>the</strong> endur<strong>in</strong>g traits <strong>of</strong> a <strong>br<strong>and</strong></strong>, thus regenerat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> patronage <strong>the</strong> <strong>br<strong>and</strong></strong> enjoys, becomes an undisputable option, <strong>and</strong> this cannot be safely <strong>and</strong> successfully concluded without recourse to <strong>film</strong>. The dream <strong>of</strong> reach<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> “Promised L<strong>and</strong>” will be unrealised, if we lack <strong>the</strong> zeal <strong>of</strong> tak<strong>in</strong>g our dest<strong>in</strong>y <strong>in</strong> our h<strong>and</strong>s ra<strong>the</strong>r than allow o<strong>the</strong>rs control it; we shall sail to <strong>the</strong> “Promised L<strong>and</strong>”, for we are good people that 57
Arabian Journal <strong>of</strong> Bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>and</strong> Management Review (OMAN Chapter) Vol. 2, No.3; Oct. 2012 make a great nation, <strong>and</strong> this is all it takes to achieve success <strong>in</strong> our struggle to overcome <strong>the</strong> challenges limit<strong>in</strong>g our growth <strong>and</strong> development as a people forever united <strong>and</strong> toge<strong>the</strong>r victorious, but <strong>film</strong> is <strong>the</strong> weapon that will be used to actualise this dream, <strong>and</strong> thus we must never forget, to launch <strong>the</strong> transform<strong>in</strong>g, refresh<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>and</strong> resuscitat<strong>in</strong>g war armed with <strong>film</strong>, unless we are determ<strong>in</strong>ed to fight a battle already lost from <strong>the</strong> outset. 58
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