An assessment of the role of mass media in rebranding Nigeria – case study of NTA

Description

Abstract

An assessment of the role of mass media in rebranding Nigeria – case study of NTA. Good People Great Nation”. The actual intention of the Nigerian government was to create a good image for the country both at home and abroad. An assessment of the project through this paper showed Nigeria as a bad product that is difficult to market. Therefore, the paper chiefly used good leadership, Nigeria brand icons and good public service as a rebranding mechanism for mass media and advertising exercises. The work relied on the mete-analysis method to carry out the research while it used persuasion theory to explain the rationale behind rebranding Nigeria. The paper argued that the ray of hope for Nigeria’s government in the Heart of Africa campaign project to re-brand the country has been dashed due to the neglect of the political, social, and economic stability cum non-involvement of public relations and advertising experts in the rebranding project. But it was quickly observed that when properly applied, effective mass media and advertising strategies cum conducive political, social, and economic environment as it can be found anywhere in the world, the re-branding exercise will be fruitful. It recommended that the government imbibe the tenet of mass media which asserts 95% action and 5% talking among other things. This research appraises the image crisis in Nigeria and the effort of successive governments, starting from the period of independence to the present dispensation, towards cleaning up of the wrong perception of the country. The study observes that, among other efforts at achieving successful rebranding, tourism is a veritable tool. Thus, some tourism resources in Nigeria were analyzed so as to show how useful they are in the Nigerian rebranding project.