The new marketing image of Bali will reportedly include the phrase “Bali Shanti Shanti Shanti” presented against a tri-colored background of red, white and black reflecting sacred colours of the Bali Hindu religion.

Bali Update said “Bali Shanti Shanti Shanti” translates into “Bali Peace Peace Peace” and was selected by a team of branding experts after six months of interviews with a wide cross-section of the local community “and reflects the wishes of the people of Bali for both their home island and the rest of the world”.

TravelMole is a trifle perplexed by this branding message. Compared to Malaysia’s effort it is Truly Incomprehensible. Compared to Singapore’s message it is Uniquely Baffling and compared to Thailand’s branding it is Amazingly Complex.

Bali seems to have abandoned the concept that a branding statement should be simple, catchy and easily understood. Travelmole doubts that the Bali slogan will hit the spot with an international audience.

Indeed, Bali Update last week expressed the view that “the somewhat closed-door way in which the branding strategy has been created, and the guarded way in which it is being unveiled to the President and the world, have some concerned that the new brand, once announced, might join the growing stack of Bali tourism initiatives filed and forgotten under NATO – No Action Talk Only”.

Source: TravelMole