Made in Med Adds Value and Attractiveness

More than two decades ago, several theoreticians of globalization forecasted the ineluctable convergence of consumer styles, technological standards and supply systems toward a common international core. Certain brands were seen as metaphors of much-feared globalization, leading some commentators to talk about the Disneyfication or the McDonaldization of the world brought by the market economy. There was some truth in that. After all, who has not stepped into a McD? (There are so many of them around the planet).

Globalization, however, has also led to a rebirth of localism. Next to global tastes, sounds and entertainments, we rediscover the pleasure of market stimulations that are rooted in unique, real or imagined, traditions. This is the counterbalancing of globalization, as represented by 'Country of Origin' and 'Made in' denominations. The origin of a product (its design and manufacturing) is considered an extrinsic attribute of a good, just like price, brand, or packaging. In the purchasing process, the 'made in' factor weighs more for younger, wealthier and more educated consumers, or for those affected by patriotic and ethnocentric motivations. For the others, the 'country of origin' effect plays a transversal effect, modifying price, product, and distribution perceptions. Such studies have mostly looked at national cases like Made in Italy (positive perception) vs. Made in China (negative perception).

More recently, the possibility of using cross-national areas to market products and brands has emerged. For instance, the Mediterranean can be considered as a cultural whole, as the set of countries sharing what the Romans called Mare Nostrum.

For example, the Italian press agency ANSA has spawned ANSAmed, a network of 17 media partners to provide timely news on all Mediterranean countries. Numerous initiatives of territorial marketing share the objective of promoting balanced and fair growth across the Mediterranean basin, such as iMed, the Mediterranean Institute established in 1987. And private companies such as L'Occitane have built their brand image around the Mediterranean localization of their products.

But 'Made in Med' does not just refer to the geographical provenance of a product, Med is a system of values, a way of thinking, revolving around the appreciation of slower rhythms, social connectedness, and cultural pluralism. For instance, think about the brand strategy developed by Camper, which invites the purchasers of its shoes "to walk, not run", or, even more surprisingly "not to buy the product, if you don't really need it". Brands are becoming bearers of ideology, and the Med brand offers a unique legacy of thought and tradition, historically rich but at the same time steeped in postmodernity.

Summing up, Made in Med products certify not only territorial but also ideological authenticity. Such authenticity manages to transcend geographical boundaries by turning the Mediterranean into a "globally enjoyable localism".