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The case presents information about Morocco as a rapidly developing emerging economy which is achieving notable success in a range of global business sectors. First, a profile of Morocco highlights country characteristics and a wide range of opportunities for building the country's image. Then, nation branding and perception management concepts are discussed, along with country stereotyping and country brand personality, with particular references to Morocco. Next, the political history notion of a cultural turn is introduced to explain how Morocco chose to adopt a new image and role on the world stage, expressed through its New Development Model of 2021. Then, leading growth industries and business sectors are detailed, followed by a final discussion of potential nation branding and image-building opportunities.The central case question is: What do the government of Morocco and its agencies want the world to know about the country and how can this be conveyed as part of the country's image?The Moroccan government's challenge is multidimensional: to determine priorities for nation branding, select specific target audiences, design persuasive messages, manage communications media efficiently and effectively, and then measure results relative to objectives. Questions arise about what messages should be communicated about Morocco to propel its economic development, attract visitors and foreign investment, reinforce its reputation for cutting-edge industrial capabilities, enhance its reputation for high fashion and Hollywood-quality film production and, not least, fully utilize its human potential across a wide range of activities.

Women entrepreneurs (WEs) operate at all levels of society in Morocco. But, what it is really like to be a self-employed woman in this emerging economy? Does it matter where you live if you want to start your own business? What skills do you need? Where and how can you get start-up funds? Will anybody help you? Taking a marketing approach, this case study explores factors in the business environment of this emerging economy that Moroccan WEs face as they start their own businesses and struggle to become successful. Students will analyze elements of the operating environment of a wide range of WEs in Morocco. Then, they will integrate their understanding of women's entrepreneurship in an emerging economy by developing a set of recommendations for a social marketing campaign for the government. Goals for this campaign are to promote and support women's self-employment as entrepreneurs in Morocco in the short- (1-2 years) and long-term (5-10 years).

The sports events agency Maïenga, owned by two French women, operates off-road motor rallies in the Sahara Desert of Morocco. Its flagship event, the annual Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles du Maroc, is the foundation on which Maïenga has, over 30 years, built a reputation for being a socially and environmentally responsible company operating in a fragile desert ecosystem. Maïenga's unique brand image centers around the Rallye Aïcha participants, who become known as Gazelles, "a tribe of modern women", willing to push themselves to the limit in a challenging physical environment. Students are asked to examine the intersection of key marketing decisions (segmentation, targeting, positioning, company reputation, brand management, and promotion) with considerations about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), corporate charitable operations, and the critical need for environmental protection and responsibility in the locations of Maïenga's rallies. National DEI policies and laws in the agency's home country, France, differ from those in the United States and the United Kingdom, which are large parts of Maïenga's target market for recruiting participants. A key issue is whether segmentation based on gender (women) is exclusionary or justified by Maïenga's celebrated Gazelle brand image and its operation as a French company. Students must determine how this positioning might affect the agency's corporate image and options for growth.