Advertising messages and strategies: selling Kenya to the world

Abstract

This paper focuses on media and message strategies used in advertising and marketing Kenya as a preferred destination for tourism and business purposes. Therefore, emphasis will be put more on advertising Kenya as a brand rather than on direct product advertising. It is recognized here that the hospitality industry plays a central role in developing and maintaining the image of a country among foreign investors and tourists. This paper will therefore investigate strategies used within the hospitality industry in order to market Kenya as a preferred destination. The paper will adopt the Destination Image Formation Theory and the Hierarchy of effects model. A post-modernist critique will provide a basis for argumentation in this paper. The use of traditional and new media in selling Kenya to the world will be assessed. Content analysis of advertising message strategies, specifically the appeals used will be analyzed. The roles of Kenya Tourist Board (KTB) and Brand Kenya in advertising Kenya are highlighted. This paper will not be complete without assessing the challenges facing Kenya in her effort to maintain her position as one of the most accredited African countries in tourist attraction.