Public diplomacy as a tool for the formation of the political brand of Germany

Abstract

: Current trends in global development (migration processes, hybrid wars, global pandemics, multiculturalism) bring new challenges for nation states. Th e level of international competitiveness and subjectivity of a modern state depends on the successful positioning of its political brand, secured by the choice of adequate tools for achieving the goals and objectives. Th is research aims at studying the peculiarities of the public diplomacy resource potential and its use in the process of political branding in Germany. Th e research methodology combines system and axiological approaches, as well as discourse analysis; this helps to reveal the structural relationships within the brand, and their correlation with the peculiarities of national political and economic development and global trends. Th e content of the political brand is studied through the prism of the interaction of the public (politics, economics, public administration) and national (mentality, culture, traditions) components that correlate with the level of political and economic development. National political leaders, public and political institutions play a leading role in generating the key message of a state. It is proved that public diplomacy expands the possibilities of successful implementation of economic, political, socio-cultural initiatives of the state, based on partnership and cooperation with representatives of the international community. Th e main tools of public diplomacy include setting the agenda, synchronization of information messages by government agencies, the use of a wide range of communication channels and special events aimed at building trust and lasting relationships between international actors. Th e article pays special attention to the study of the content of the branding campaign «Land of Ideas». It presents Germany as an active actor in the international political space, focused on the use of brand-new technologies in all spheres of society to ensure sustainable development. Th e authors prove that the current branding campaign focuses on economic (sustainable development and citizens’ welfare), technological (technological innovation, energy effi ciency, environmental safety), and cultural (dialogue, intercultural communication) aspects. Th e key ideas of the branding strategy are sustainable economic development, manufacturability and digitalization, environmental friendliness and energy effi ciency, partnership dialogue and cooperation. German public authorities are actively involved in the process of political branding, which is carried out at the internal and external levels through public diplomacy. Th e key ideas of the political brand are presented to the domestic public through constant two-way communication on specialized online platforms, meetings of high-ranking offi cials with representatives of municipalities, and citizens’ potential is actively involved in various in-novative projects. Th e process of state branding in Germany is synchronized with key global trends – environmental security, climate change issues, energy effi ciency. In this context, Chancellor A. Merkel and government agencies are actively cooperating with the EU and other international organizations, participating in forums, summits and online discussions. The experience of German political branding is relevant for other countries in the context of its content, synchronization of government and society, and the use of public diplomacy.