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For immediate release JY&A
Media
Yan: renaming of Taipei memorial against ideas of nation branding
Co-author of Beyond
Branding says move is ‘divisive’
Wellington, New Zealand, December 12 (JY&A
Media) The renaming of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial in
Taipei, which culminated in the removal of the former president's
name from the building last weekend, goes against all ideas of rebranding,
according to Jack Yan, an international
branding consultant and author.
Mr Yan, who has been quoted in various nation
branding books, including, most recently, Keith Dinnie's Nation
Branding: Concepts, Issues, Practice (London: Butterworth–Heinemann
2008), says that a fundamental purpose of rebranding destinations
is to unite people. In his opinion, the ruling Democratic Progressive
Party (DPP) on the Republic of China has divided the people on Taiwan.
‘People may be uncertain of their feelings
toward their nation or a certain part of their city. A rebranding
or even a renaming is meant to inspire either fresh new feelings
or unlock a sense of pride. The actions in Taipei have, instead,
divided the population politically and unlocked a sense of anger,’
he says.
The removal of Gen Chiang's name from the memorial,
now known as the National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall, saw celebrations
from supporters and protests from opponents.
Inflammatory language used by the ruling party
labelled Gen Chiang, who led the now-opposition Kuomingtang (KMT),
a ‘dictator.’
In doing so, Chiang has been equated to Stalin
or Franco, according to Mr Yan.
‘What we hear from supporters of the renaming
is that Gen Chiang ordered killings of civilians in an infamous
wartime incident in 1947, colloquially known as the 228 Incident.
I do not condone these.
‘However, as a nation progresses, we should
also acknowledge that the lifting of a ban discussing 228, the apology
by President Lee in the 1990s and the setting up of a reparations’
fund also came from the KMT in an effort to reconcile and unite,’
he says.
‘While the present DPP government creates
this disunity, it has overlooked that the Republic’s national
prosperity and its own freedoms stem from Chiang’s postwar
period, despite martial law having been imposed. Would they have
preferred the famines and the Cultural Revolution?’ he asks.
‘As we lead up to the 70th anniversary of
the Rape of Nanking atrocity on December 13, the government conveniently
forgets that China still technically exists in a state of civil
war even if no bullets have been fired since 1950. In wartime, arrests
that appear abnormal, immoral or even unforgiveable occurred.’
He believes that the government’s purpose
was to divide, pointing to the fact that the name change was not
passed by the democratically elected Legislature in the Republic
of China.
‘If the government wishes to tell me that
ignoring a legislature is not “dictatorial” but democratic,
then I think the Oxford Dictionary editors need to revise what the
word democracy means,’ he says.
Mr Yan’s temporary solution was to offically
call the monument by its new name while preserving the signage honouring
Gen Chiang—the situation that existed before last weekend.
He has said he would offer his services to find
ways to bring both KMT and DPP supporters together under a more
united nation brand for the Republic. He says he has been unofficially
working on promotional ideas to brand Taiwan more positively to
the outside world.
Images
Images for this release may be downloaded at <http://jya.net/071211pr0.htm>.
About Jack Yan
Jack Yan founded Jack Yan & Associates (http://jya.net),
one of the world’s first virtual firms, in 1987. His company is
based or represented in over a dozen countries worldwide. Among
his company’s interests are business consulting, imaging, software
and media, including the fashion magazine brand Lucire.
He writes on topics, ranging from branding and business responsibility
to fashion and typography, in numerous publications worldwide and
is a regular international speaker. His personal site is at www.jackyan.com,
and features a highly regarded blog.
About JY&A Consulting
JY&A Consulting (http://jya.net/consulting)
is part of Jack Yan & Associates, an independent global communications
company founded in 1987. With representation in Wellington, Christchurch,
New York, San Francisco, London, Essex, Stockholm, Milano and Jerusalem,
JY&A Consulting tailors solutions using researched business principles,
based around the organization’s vision and identity. The company
specializes in identity, branding, marketing strategy and global
strategy. Its clients have included small businesses, non-profit
organizations and Fortune 500 companies. JY&A Consulting
staff and alumni regularly contribute to the house journal, CAP,
published in print, and online at <http://jya.net/cap/>.
Notes to editors
Lucire is a registered trade mark of Jack Yan & Associates
and subject to protection in certain jurisdictions. All other trade
marks are the properties of their respective owners and are only
used in a descriptive fashion without any intention to infringe.
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