Borrowing the brand attributes of another country to help sell your product and service carries considerable risks, even if, as with Citroen's latest ad for its C5 model, it is done tongue-in-cheek.
Manchester kitchen manufacturer Moben discovered this to its cost seven years ago when the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ordered it to remove the umlaut from its name in ads. The ASA ruled that by adopting that spelling, it was misleading customers into thinking it was German, and falsely associating itself with that country's strong reputation for craftsmanship.
Other brands have foreign names and get away with it, of course. Sandwich chain Pret A Manger has never pretended to be anything other than British, but Baileys Irish Cream, Haagen-Dazs ice cream and Neutrogena's Norwegian Formula hand cream were all invented in the US. Similarly, Dixons called its own-brand electronics range Matsui in the 80s to associate it with the Japanese reputation for electronics excellence.
The practice is particularly common in the beer market. Izzy Pugh, cultural insight associate director at Added Value says, 'This is possibly because it is such a crowded category and you can't do a lot in terms of differentiating the product itself.' So, for example, Belgian brand Stella Artois has marketed itself as French, helped considerably by its Jean de Florette-style advertising, 'Indian' brand Cobra was founded in Fulham, and Foster's is not genuinely Australian.
Sticking to the truth
These brands are now well-established. However, at a time when consumers are demanding greater authenticity, according to Rune Gustafson, chief executive of Interbrand UK, 'it is silly to pretend to be something you are not'.
'Provenance and heritage are vital to a brand, but consumers are increasingly cynical and will see fakes for what they are. Strong brands need to build on their own brand heritage,' he adds.
It is not as though Citroen is lacking in this department, points out Wally Olins, chairman of brand consultancy Saffron. 'I can hardly believe it could be so stupid as to try to associate itself with German engineering when it, and France, has a great technical tradition,' he says.
Olins warns that 'denying its own great heritage' will damage the Citroen brand. A point with which Corporate Edge chairman Chris Wood agrees, arguing that Citroen should be 'playing to its strengths, rather than adopting a defensive positioning'.
However, Mark Raven, director of communications at Citroen, claims the ad demonstrates extreme confidence in the brand. 'Citroen is famous for style and innovation, and for French flair, which is very difficult to replicate,' he says. 'But we want to challenge people's prejudices by demonstrating we can deliver great technology, too.'
There are even some Germanic cues in the vehicle itself, he adds, including its flared wheel arches, sleek line of door windows and a lower-sitting build.
Aside from the fact that Citroen's latest strategy could undermine its patiently built brand equity, by reinforcing the idea of German engineering superiority, it is making the car marque a hostage to fortune, says Mike Williams, a senior consultant at The Brand Union. 'It will fail to live up to these functional benefits at its peril,' he warns.
The practice of 'cuckoo branding' is not only ill-advised, but also immoral, claims nation branding expert Simon Anholt. 'The brand image of a country belongs to that country,' he says. 'It gives it a competitive edge.'
Firms such as Citroen and Moben may be keen to borrow German engineering credentials, but Germany itself is guilty of 'ripping off' other countries. 'Think about the number of ads featuring German cars driving along intestinal Italian roads in an attempt to lend glamour to the models,' he says. 'The result is a composite image that speaks to both the heart and the head, but it involves theft of valuable country equity.'
Indeed, Tuscany tried to take BMW to court over the use of the region's countryside in its ads, says Anholt.
However, he concedes, some markets demand a traditional heritage, because consumers expect it. 'Italian computer brand Olivetti threw in the towel because it couldn't compete with the leading US brands,' he says. 'And, although the French perfume industry is built on tradition and essences from India and China, when an Indian perfumier tried to market an Indian perfume in Europe, it was effectively kicked out.'
Yet, perceptions of a country can change, which, in turn, affects the success of its products abroad. Anholt points to Korea's reputation for electronics, and Japan's for musical instruments. He even predicts that 'so long as China doesn't screw up', within 10 years US and UK brands will adopt fake Chinese names to command higher prices.
Data File: 'Foreign' brands
- Baileys Irish Cream was invented by a Cornishman in the US.
- Haagen-Dazs ice cream was created by Minneapolis-based Pillsbury.
- Italy's leading chewing-gum brand is called Brooklyn, and carries a picture of Brooklyn Bridge on the packaging.
- Panama Hats are made in Ecuador, but, historically, were sold in Panama; hence US president Harry Truman's description of his distinctive headwear as a 'Panama hat'. The Panamanians have since built an industry on the back of it.
- Successful swimwear brand Reef Brazil was founded by two Argentinian brothers based in California. They used Brazil in the name because it was 'sexier'.
- Neutrogena's Norwegian Formula products, complete with Norwegian flag and claims that they are used by Norwegian fishermen, are made in the US.
- Cobra Beer was founded in Fulham, London.