Plan to brand Panama has lost The Way
Two Panama administrations have spent $390,000 trying to pin down an identifiable slogan to brand the country’s image.
Like the lamb in the whiffenpoof song the search seems to have lost its way. Another delay has been added to the list of problems that have deprived the country of a brandy helps Panamanian products and services stand apart fom theircompetitors and no tangible results have been seen,
Five months ago it was announced that Panama would buy the slogan "Where the world meets" for $120,000 from a U.S. firm, but the Government decided on another line "The way"
The interagency committee, led by the Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP), threw out "Where the world meets" because they only have a partial right to the words.
Salomon Shamah, the ATP administrator said that it would not be in advisable to buy a slogan that could not be used in full. The phrase "The way" was designed by advertising agency BB & M for the Panama Canal, but is now the brand of the country.
"It is a decision, the phrase is free and we have registered it” said Shamah.
He said that the brand comes at no cost to the state, because the studies were done by consultant David Lightle hired to design a national brand two years ago.
For the president of the Exporters Association of Panama, Juan Planells, the country brand is a promotional tool that would allow domestic products enter new markets.
He noted that the lack of a trademark has allowed other countries to take advantage of products like la mola, a hand made fabric.
