Various definitions of branding are documented. Brand can be define as distinctive identity of a product which the end-user can identify with, or a promise of consistent predictable quality, value and reliability (Shopify, 2017). Ellwood (2001) argues that brand is quantifiable, long-term strategic marketing process of building and overseeing the perceived value of service delivery.
Drawing from Travis’s (2000:20) brand definition, it is agreeable to differentiate branding from advertising for further intellectual discourse. The reason is that the concepts are often confused, yet they are essentially two different disciplines. Brand combines and reinforces the functional and emotional benefits of the offering, adding value, encouraging consumption and loyalty. However, advertising concentrates on one of the brand’s target: customers; and is aimed at making them aware of its products and services, and persuading them to buy these products and services.
Etymologically, the word "branding" originates from the Scandinavian word for burning:
briinna and the Swedish word for fire is brand. Literally, brand means to bum a mark
on something; similar to a brand-mark put on cattle with a hot iron (Nilson, 1999:57). Historically, the Egyptians used fire to print their names on the bricks of pyramid floors (Travis, 2000:23). The ancient Romans and Greeks used fire to print "maker's marks" on selected products (Ellwood, 2001:12). Keeping in mind that any product or service can ultimately be copied, but a brand cannot; the above-mentioned efforts of branding could be regarded as an organisation’s promise of consistent predictable quality for a successfully differentiation.
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2.4.1 BRAND PERSONALITY IN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY
Although the principles for branding of goods and services are generally the same, there are however some differences when branding services. These differences arise from the different natures of both categories. The main difference is that when branding services, customers have to be actively involved in the consumption of services, which are hard to visualise and yet have changing level of quality (Smart Marketing, 2012). Service organisation with strong brand personality anticipate on the above-mentioned differences, especially on the changing nature of quality in service delivery industry.
Theories of brand personality dimensions were developed and widely accepted. Brand personality is often associated to brand image to improve service delivery (Forbes, 2005). Brand personality dimensions include corporate image, personality and performance (effectiveness and efficiency in service delivery) (Hayes, 2000). From service organisation’s employee perspective, it is agreeable to stress that brand personality is the category of traits employees perceive from corporate performance (Andreasen & Kotler, 2003).
However, Liu Yong (2008) argue that internal marketing dynamics is one of the main reasons for corporate re-branding strategies in public service organisations. As such, re-branding efforts focus on improving employees’ working conditions, job satisfaction, communication, motivation, personal growth, business policies and procedures, security and supervision. Major corporate re-branding attributes of online service delivery are competence, strength and sincerity enabling service employees to track customer data more easily, increase productivity in a way that reduces weekend work and over-time.
2.4.2 ONLINE SERVICE DELIVERY AS NATION BRANDING STRATEGY
Generally, there are mythological concepts which brand countries accordingly. National anthems, symbols, currency, victories of wars and names the few. For example, USA is well-established brand as nation winning wars in the 21st century by leading military interventions in Yougoslavia, Irak and Yemen (Skodra, 2010:1). Nation branding encompasses activities from country naming through to all the collected activities such as ease of doing business enabling competitive reputation of a nation and corporate brand image of public organisations within the country (Msele, 2007).
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Online service delivery adoption in public service organisations in general, and at the government department of trade and industry could be perceived as nation branding tool for conducive environment for businesses among 195 competing nations on earth (Mugobo & Wakeham, 2014). The principles of branding utilised to market products and services can also be applied for country. Drawing from the work of Cromwell (2008) various countries namely EU state members, USA, China, India, New Zealand and South Africa have promoted their image as investment destination through the establishment of online service delivery systems connecting citizens on a 24- hour and 7-day basis.
According to O’Shaughnessy and O’Shaughnessy (2000:56), any nation on earth can be viewed as a brand. Lee (2009:1) argues that nation branding is about creating resources to sustain both citizens and business for competitiveness. Within EU state members, USA, China, India, New Zealand and South Africa, online service delivery adoption enabled business registration, tax declaration, birth registration, court proceedings, crime report, biometric identification and digital signature. The above- mentioned infrastructure represent much needed resources to re-brand a nation as an investment destination (Cap Gemini, 2006:5-14).
Nation brand can been developed by default, formed from a myriad of different sources such as word of mouth, education, mass media (social networks), travel, product purchases, service delivery and the way government interacts with its citizens (Vatahov, 2006). Increasingly, nations around the world are migrating from traditional to online service delivery to re-brand and re-position themselves on the world stage and attract businesses (Domeisen, 2003). A power house information nation would earn credits of the international community as leader in information society, promoting ICT-based and environmentally-friendly infrastructures.