Redrawing a national flag, or trying to: the ultimate rebrand.
In the 1960s, Canada successfully redesigned its flag to break from its colonial past and create a modernist icon. In 2015, New Zealand may have missed a chance to follow suit, but its politicians shouldn’t give up just yet.
Flags matter
For thousands of years, flags have communicated a sense of common identity for clans, nations and empires. Using clear iconography is now a hallmark of the nation-state. In the USA, the flag represents a nation built from the bottom up: from 13 colonies, 50 states — from many, one. The UK’s Union Flag pulls together flags of its constituent nations in an iconic visual portmanteau. Historical events saw the demise of the Soviet flag, yet its gold hammer and sickle, as well as its red background endure as communist symbols.
As nations evolve, so do their identities. Rethinking a flag is the ultimate rebranding exercise and in an increasingly globalized world — where countries are competing for the best talent, companies and capital — defining what your nation is all about matters more than ever. As branding guru Wally Olins put it: “nations with a strong brand win.”
Shedding the legacy of Empire
So what does it say about your nation when 25% of your flag’s area is dedicated to the symbol of another country? And when many in your closest neighbor and largest trading partner can’t distinguish it from their own, or when even the Olympic Committee gets confused? New Zealand, a former British colony, has been grappling with exactly these issues for the last half century.
The British Empire recognized the many benefits of a strong “visual brand”, displaying the ‘Union Jack’ in the canton (the upper left corner) of its colonies and companies’ flags. It was a highly effective system for exercising authority over far-flung territories and ensuring potential attackers knew a ship belonged to the mightiest empire. Today, many of these flags remain unchanged, long after the Empire’s demise.
For many Commonwealth nations, the Union Flag Canton is a burdensome reminder of a colonial past. But in the present day, it also creates confusion for countries seeking their own identities.
New Zealand’s chance
Taking inspiration from Canada’s 1960s flag overhaul, New Zealand’s Prime Minister, John Key, recently ignited a national conversation on a new flag, creating an open and collaborative process to spark the popular imagination.
However, two factors combined to conspire against the case for change: modern communications (that pesky internet!), and the decision to conduct a referendum rather than a parliamentary vote. While an open design contest saw some serious vexillological proposals, many satirical and improvised submissions were also put forth as contenders, which undermined the initiative’s credibility. Ipso facto, 56.6% opted not to adopt the new flag in the March 2016 referendum.
How best to involve the public in identity decisions is a question policy-makers face all over the world. The UK’s Natural Environment Research Council recently asked the public to suggest names for a new research vessel — and found itself embroiled in a PR disaster when it was forced to reject the public’s clear favorite — RSS Boaty McBoatFace — in favor of the slightly more sober RSS Sir David Attenborough (the UK’s ‘national treasure’ of a naturist and broadcaster).
Canada’s change was successful because of Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson’s decisive action to change the flag, as much as historical circumstance. The new flag summed up the Canadian identity perfectly: historical red and white colors plus the maple leaf that has long been a Canadian emblem and a part of its coat of arms. Crucially, it shed the Union Jack’s reminder of British rule at a time when the English- and French-speaking communities needed unity.
Conservatives in particular railed against the change, noting that thousands of soldiers died in World War II under the red ensign flag — an argument raised in New Zealand as well. But the government won the vote in Parliament, the noise soon died down, and the Maple Leaf became the ‘new normal’. It formed the basis of the government’s pioneering and comprehensive 1970 Federal Identity Program, and has since provided Canadians with a clear view of Government’s role in their lives.
The fern is the future
New Zealand’s silver fern flag proposal is a design revelation. It is clear and coherent. Applied consistently, it could help improve the relationship between citizen and state. Best of all, it’s grounded very firmly in its community. The silver fern is a plant endemic to New Zealand, has cultural significance amongst the native Māori people and is a commonly recognized symbol of the country — featured on the shirts of the All Blacks Rugby Team and the (slightly less successful) All Whites soccer team, as well as the Kiwi passport, many government departments’ logos, and goods and services traded within the country and abroad. In short, it’s already the national symbol both domestically and internationally.
John Key may have lost the battle, but he can still win the war. Maximizing the next 12 months to lead a corporate rebranding of government departments, like the Netherlands and the UK, could help build recognition and support for the fern as the national symbol. Vexillologists rejoice — New Zealand may yet have a chance to re-revisit its existing outdated and unrepresentative flag, as part of a wider standardization of the government’s visual identity.
The symbol, already in action
