Ethnic and Regional Brands Promote Local Identities While Attracting Broader Attention

Paul Goble

            Staunton, August 6 – Both for residents and outsiders, branding is increasingly important for the non-Russian republics and predominantly ethnic Russian regions in the Russian Federation both to promote a common identity and to attract the attention of outsiders who may purchase goods from a particular republic or region or even be tempted to visit.

            Flags of a particular region or republic are important signifiers and promoters of identity and are routinely viewed as evidence of how intensely members of a particular community identify with their federal subject. (See windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2020/07/reflecting-growing-radicalism-in.html, windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2020/04/marking-day-of-circassian-flag-online.html and windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2019/08/chechen-activists-marching-from.html).

            Brands, chosen by officials, are more commonly viewed only as advertisements directed at others, but because they seek to encapsulate in a word or picture the chief characteristics of a place, they too play a role in enhancing regional and republic identities even if that is not their original purpose.

            But those possibilities are suggested by the appearance of the first-even atlas of ethnic and republic brands in the North Caucasus that has been prepared by Islam Akhtsiyev, an Ingush student at the regional branch of the Russian Academy of Economics and State Service (etokavkaz.ru/news/91813 and  nazaccent.ru/content/33773-student-iz-ingushetii-razrabotal-atlas-nacionalnyh.html).

            The Ingush student has prepared an online atlas as part of the Ambassadors of the North Caucaus program which is designed to promote “a positive image” of the North Caucasus Federal District by means of promoting national brands which take into consideration the cultural-historical and natural geographic potential” of that region.

            In releasing this atlas, Akhtsiyev says that one of his goals is to attract tourists. But in addition, he views “ancient monuments, buildings and natural wonders, native languages, ethnic products, myths and legends to be a serious resource of inter-ethnic accord because by understanding the culture and characteristics of other peoples, we become closer together.”

            The project is supported by the Academy of Economics and State Service, the Federal Agency for Nationality Affairs, and the youth parliament attached to the Russian State Duma.   This effort at branding nationalities and regions is likely to be expanded to other parts of the country.

            As that happens, nations, republics and regions will undoubtedly become more skillful in coming up with regional symbols that are likely not only to attract more people to what they are about and have to offer but also help solidify the identities of the peoples in the places being advertised in this way.

            And consequently, brands that are all too often dismissed as mere advertising may play a role equally important in the rise of identities other than the all-Russian one that the Kremlin wants to promote.