| Creating a positive image of Moscow will begin with the Internet Moscow officials are preparing to use more than 700 million rubles, which the city authorities are going to allocate in the next three years to improve the reputation of the Russian capital. In July, the capital's government supported the “Comprehensive Targeted Program for Increasing International Prestige and Forming a Positive Image of the City of Moscow for 2007-2009.” As Georgy Muradov, head of the city’s international relations department, explained yesterday, the program assumes that 150 million rubles will be allocated annually from the city budget for these purposes. The rest of the money, he said, “will be the funds raised and the funds we earn.” It is planned to make money by producing souvenirs and holding lotteries, and this activity will be coordinated by the special Center for International Promotion of Moscow - a non-profit organization, as Mr. Muradov emphasized.
The need to “work on the image” is explained by the desire to “overcome negative approaches and biased perception of Moscow in the country and abroad.” The last fact that struck a chord with Mr. Muradov was the announcement in July of Moscow in one of the ratings as “the most expensive city in the world.” The Russian capital has pushed aside even such stable leaders as Tokyo and London. But Mr. Muradov believes that rating agencies deliberately distort or incorrectly compare information and spoil Moscow's reputation by alienating foreign businessmen and tourists.
A massive information campaign is planned over the next three years using both traditional media and Internet technologies. It is planned to “promote Moscow as a city favorable for international cooperation and investment” and create a “positive image” in the press. In the public consciousness, according to officials, it is necessary to establish the idea of Moscow as “a pilot metropolis that successfully finds solutions to the most complex urban problems.”
But city officials have to start from scratch. For example, Moscow does not yet even have its own portal in any foreign language. And the very name of the moscow.ru domain was acquired several years ago by more efficient people, with whom the mayor’s office is now negotiating about returning the city’s historical name on the Internet. In addition, as it turned out, the very concept with which it is planned to bring Moscow to the foreign market, the brand that is supposed to be promoted, is missing. “We are at the beginning of the path,” Mr. Muradov emphasized, noting that he personally likes the idea that he came across in one of the Vremya Novostei publications: “Moscow is the intellectual capital of the world.” That's what I titled my article Professor Yakov Magarshak (see “Vremya Novostei” of July 25).
Also, the official was not yet ready to name specific publishing houses, companies and advertising agencies that will use the money allocated to improve Moscow’s reputation. True, he promised that competitions and tenders would be held in each area. But it seems that officials will be the first to earn money. For example, 15 million rubles. per year it is planned to allocate to the committee on reforming the city economy to develop a strategy for managing the city’s image. Another about 9 million rubles. - ordered by rating agencies to monitor the city's image. Another 6 million rubles. - to promote publications about Moscow in foreign publications.
However, the program developers assure that these funds will eventually bring not only moral satisfaction to Muscovites, but also profit. Mr. Muradov referred to certain expert opinions, according to which 1 ruble invested in the image of the city will bring on average an additional 8 rubles. direct investment per year. Irina BELASHEVA |
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