Creativity, Diversity, Sustainability at Heart of 2021-25 Nation Branding Strategy

Luxembourg's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Jean Asselborn, and Beryl Koltz, who is in charge of the Grand Duchy's nation branding programme, presented at a press conference on Wednesday the new strategy for promoting Luxembourg's brand image and the bases of the 2021-25 nation branding action plan.

In the participatory spirit of this nation branding initiative, created in 2013, large-scale consultations and monitoring actions were carried out from 2019 to 2020 with the aim of assessing its perception among stakeholders, measuring its impact and defining its fields of action for the coming years. The strategy therefore responds to the following two major needs: that of expanding internationally and that of offering more content to the various players.

Following its presentation to the inter-ministerial and inter-institutional coordination committee for promoting the image of Luxembourg in other countries (initially entitled the "Nation Branding Committee") on 11 March 2021, the strategy and bases of the action plan were validated by the Govnernment Council on 2 June 2021.

The aim of this brand image promotion strategy is to establish Luxembourg's positioning as a committed player on the international scene, a strong ally in the context of sustainable growth and a facilitator of innovative ideas that can contribute to a better world. Through the concepts developed, such as the priority themes which are based on the reference values of Luxembourg (i.e. being dynamic, open and reliable) and the narrative which, in turn, is based on these priority themes, the strategy proposes a systemic framework by seeking balance between the different sectors.

Based directly on the above reference values, ie. the qualities which define a country, the priority themes represent, for their part, the aspirations of Luxembourg. These are: creativity, diversity and sustainability.

The strategy narrative is based on these three priority themes. It is conceived as a presentation allowing to draw an authentic, coherent and accessible image of Luxembourg while leaving enough space for the different sectors to fit into it with their own specificities.

The first principle of this narrative (the so-called "grower's mindset") is that all the conditions are met in Luxembourg so that, whatever is created or planted here, it takes root and can develop sustainably.

The second principle (referred to as "a common ground for all cultures") highlights the idea that immigration has come to strengthen and enrich development in the Grand Duchy, which has become a common ground for all cultures.

The strategy is accompanied by a call to action which lays the foundations for the 2021-25 action plan for nation branding. These bases are currently being developed within the framework of working groups bringing together official members and various consultative actors.

At present, the committee in charge of nation branding is developing several large-scale projects aimed at translating the new strategic orientations, such as a website dedicated to Luxembourg's brand image.

In addition, the committee's 2020 year-end film "Stronger Together", adapted from the greeting card by Miriam Rosner at Monogram (Luxembourg), designed by Agence Binsfeld (Luxembourg), directed by Adrian & Gidi (Netherlands) and set to music by André Dziezuk (Luxembourg), has just been named "selected winner" in the "Motion awards" category by the American Illustration - American Photography (AI-AP) association, whose jury is made up of professionals from the following publications, among others: Stella Blackmon, Photo Editor at New York Magazine; Vida Cornelious, Executive Creative Director at T Brand Studio / The New York Times; Neeta Patel, Designer at The New Yorker; Chris Rukan, Art Director at The Washington Post; Faith Stafford, Art Director at Entertainment Weekly.