Nation Branding Practices Research Articles

Place branding: is it public policy, or isn’t it?

This article explores the question of whether place branding should be considered a public policy. While place branding has gained attention in the fields of marketing and related disciplines, its connection to various public policy areas highlights its broader implications. This study aims to provide conceptual clarity on the matter, arguing for the inclusion of place branding within the public policy discourse. The article employs a conceptual framework to assess the alignment of place branding with the key attributes of public policy. A comparative case study of nation branding practices in seven European countries—Estonia, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, and Slovakia—is conducted to assess the applicability of the conceptual framework of public policy to studying nation branding. The case study demonstrates the potential of such approach, highlighting gaps and challenges in the current practices of nation branding. The article concludes by discussing the implications of applying the policy approach to place branding and exploring future research opportunities.

Review: Branding Brazil: Transforming Citizenship on Screen, by Leslie L. Marsh

Review: <i>Branding Brazil: Transforming Citizenship on Screen</i>, by Leslie L. Marsh

Coercive persuasion in the rebranding Nigeria campaign discourse

ABSTRACT This article examines the discursive practices of coercive persuasion deployed by Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Communications to justify the rebranding Nigeria campaign as a policy designed for value reorientation of the citizenry in the wake of the country’s image crisis both domestically and internationally. Sampling data from select addresses and interviews of the country’s chief image maker during the campaign, the study analyses some discourse structures and strategies in the public discourse, drawing theoretical insights from van Dijk’s Critical Epistemic Discourse Analysis to re-examine and re-interpret meaning in relation to knowledge claims in the organised persuasive communication. The article demonstrates that there is artful management of information and construction of knowledge in the persuasive discourse largely to present an institutional version of reality in re/telling Nigeria’s national identity narratives. The study concludes that the rhetorical means of controlling the discourse and managing the minds of the audience typify leadership practices of knowledge construction to achieve policy dominance given certain norms and conventions of nation branding practices.

Empowerment or disempowerment: Exploring stakeholder engagement in nation branding through a mixed method approach to social network analysis

Social media is utilized to cultivate relationships with stakeholders in nation branding. This study investigates stakeholder engagement on social media in China’s nation branding by looking into the interaction between pro-government stakeholders and citizens. It analyzes the networked narratives surrounding the recent soccer mega-events from the aspects of public communication, public consultation and public participation. The findings highlight the limited citizen engagement attributed to asymmetric power relationships in the communication practice of nation branding. Theoretically, the conceptual development of the authentic stakeholder engagement framework in nation branding advances the conventional goals of nation branding towards inspiring social development and contributes to the emergent field of stakeholder engagement on social media by incorporating the PR-driven relationship building paradigm and the principles of engagement. Practically, the mixed-method design combining social network analysis with content analysis allows for uncovering the underlying relationships between stakeholders constructed by networked narratives in a retweet network, and the outcomes of this study provide an insight into how the brand meaning of a nation is negotiated via stakeholder engagement in the digital space. Due to the surging quest by countries in East Asia for utilizing soccer to achieve political aims, this China-focused study has both domestic and regional significance.

Gendering of Nation Branding in Kyrgyzstan: Kurmanjan Datka: Queen of the Mountains

The article explores Kyrgyzstan’s nation branding through the film Kurmanjan Datka: Queen of the Mountains (2014). While focusing on the nexus of gender and nation branding, I suggest that the cinematic narrative of the importance of women in national history has become an additional source for polishing the national image. To test this, I turn to the cinematographic plot and analyze the nation-branding activities, on the one hand, and the situation of women in independent Kyrgyzstan, on the other. First, the article explores how existing patriarchal tendencies limit aspirations of Kyrgyz authorities to project an image of Kyrgyzstan as democratic, modern, and progressive. This is especially evident when a film about a real-life woman hero that challenges the patriarchal attitudes becomes a tool of nation branding. Second, the article highlights that not only elites but also ordinary citizens can engage in nation-branding practices. The article is based on interviews with the film’s producer and viewers, the heroine’s descendants, feminist activists, experts on nation branding, and foreign tourists during fieldwork in Bishkek and Osh in Kyrgyzstan in 2017, 2018, and 2019, as well as on archival data and interviews with film’s audiences in the United States. Article in English

Nation branding as a market-shaping strategy: A study on South Korean products in Vietnam

This paper focuses on a topic that has been largely overlooked in the contemporary marketing literature: the role of the state in shaping markets. While a growing body of research offers alternative perspectives about markets from the neoclassical perspective, it ignores the degree of embeddedness of the state in markets. In view of this theoretical gap, we investigate the market-shaping activities of states in emerging economies. Our context is the creation of a Korean cultural product market in Vietnam. Based on a document analysis of the nation branding projects of Korea and Vietnam, we investigate how these states are involved in shaping Vietnamese markets for Korean cultural products through their international and national activities. The findings reveal that whereas the Korean state is mobilizing and building diplomatic ties to promote the Korea’s image in Vietnam through its cultural products, the Vietnamese state profits from these products for its East Asian oriented cultural policy. Three actions are being taken by the Vietnamese state: (1) controlling the distribution of Korean cultural products, (2) framing media producers’ and consumers’ behaviors, and (3) creating a network of collaboration between selected Korean and Vietnamese media producers. Through their nation branding practices, the Vietnamese and Korean states act as institutional entrepreneurs in shaping the Vietnamese market for Korean cultural products.

Country images and identities in times of populism: Swiss media discourses on the ‘stop mass immigration’ initiative

The construction of certain country images and identities is traditionally studied in relation to public diplomacy, strategic communication and nation branding practices of state and non-state actors. However, we notice the increased instrumentalization of country images and identities in debates on issues beyond strategic promotional practices, such as those articulated around elections, referendums or migration. We analyse how Swiss media constructed Switzerland's image and identity in the debate following the 2014 referendum on ‘stop mass immigration’ initiative, in times of populism, a communication phenomenon and ideology discursively articulated by political and media actors. Thus, we: (1) bridge streams of research on country images, identities, migration and populism that have yet to be integrated; (2) propose critical discourse analysis to identify specific discursive strategies (offering insights into alternative methodologies for studying populist political communication content and style); (3) highlight the role of media in reproducing populist discourses on country images and identities.

Domesticating Competitive Common Sense: Nation Branding Discourses, Policy-makers and Promotional Consultants in Korea

ABSTRACT Why has the practice of nation branding and its competitive imaginary become common sense in Korea? This article retraces the domestication, in Korea, of nation branding into an unquestioned policy imperative and of a competitive common sense. It shows how, in Korea, nation branding emerged as a policy solution to four national urgencies in the post-democratisation political economic context. It was adopted in conjunction by the state and the chaebol to resolve obstacles to capital accumulation. Korean policy-makers hired promotional consultants to participate in agenda -making processes. However, these consultants were not hired by the Korean government to design Korea's branding policies. Their power was essentially cultural. Their discourses provided policy justification and functioned as a governing device to exhort citizens to accept global competition as an unquestionable social reality and the pro-capital reforms that are (supposedly) needed to cope with competition.

Hegemonic dividend and workforce diversity: The case of ‘biat’ and meritocracy in nation branding in Turkey

AbstractWe introduce and explore the notion of hegemonic dividend in the context of a country which does not have hierarchy attenuating means such as legal measures to protect workforce diversity. This paper explains the consequences of two hierarchy enhancing ideologies on workforce diversity in Turkey; meritocracy, an ideology that privileges merit, and ‘biat’, an ideology of subservience to the structures of power. We illustrate how these two ideologies operate as a duality, as meritocracy vanes with dire circumstances for workforce diversity in nation-branding efforts of Turkey. Drawing on Bourdieu and Gramsci, we illustrate hegemonic dividend in the increasingly hegemonic system in which journalism, as a state apparatus, is embedded in Turkey, where privileged few are sustaining and advancing their positions of power by appealing to and submitting themselves to the revisioned nation brand. We focus on the news industry as it commands a special position of power in terms of creating, modifying and controlling the discourses of a nation brand. We argue that failing to protect and promote workforce diversity with hierarchy attenuating measures exposes nation branding practices to discriminatory and hierarchy enhancing ideologies that negate efforts to achieve humanisation and democratisation of work.

The evolving complementarity of nation-branding and public diplomacy: projecting the Canada brand through “weibo diplomacy” in China

ABSTRACTDiplomacy is evolving at a much faster rate today than in the first 70 years of the previous century and diplomats and their foreign ministries have been forced to communicate more with publics at home and abroad. At the heart of this reboot, arguably, is a reconsideration of the value of public diplomacy and nation-branding within diplomatic practice, leading to questions about whether there is convergence of public diplomacy and nation-branding practices in support of international policy goals. The article first examines public diplomacy and nation-branding as concepts and fields of study. It then analyzes the growing complementarity of public diplomacy and nation-branding in Canada's foreign policy due, in large measure, to the growth of digital platforms in international communication. The article concludes by examining how public diplomacy and nation-branding appeared to converge online in Canada's “weibo” diplomacy with China, starting in 2011.

Comparative nation-branding analysis of Big Data: Focusing on Korea and Japan

ABSTRACTThis exploratory research used Google to collect atypical data concerning Korea and Japan’s nation branding and used these to provide a structural description of the international perspectives of the countries’ cultures. Japan differs from Korea by focusing on developing various media, content, and geographical factors through fostering and supporting private-run local brands; also, variations relating to history, strategy, and system have resulted in different online nation-branding practices between the two countries. This study proposes several methods of enhancing nation branding and suggests further analysis of both private and public sector discussions, traditional and up-to-date channels, and various media content.

Introduction: Nation Branding and Competitive Identity in World Politics

ABSTRACTTo date, (critical) geopolitics has had little to say about contemporary competitive identity practices of nation branding in global politics, while existing analyses of nation branding in other disciplines have tended to overlook its geopolitical dimensions. This expanded Introduction (and the special section as a whole) therefore seeks to explore some of the implications of nation branding for geopolitics, while simultaneously utilising the insights of critical geopolitics to shed light on nation branding practices. The Introduction makes the case for a broad conception of nation branding that challenges claims it is immutably linked to capitalist logics in an era of globalisation. It subsequently explores claims that nation branding is simply an updated form of nation building and that it is also an inherently benign and peace promoting activity. The Introduction ends by highlighting how, despite claims that the contemporary prevalence of nation branding practices is indicative of a categorical shift from a geopolitical to a geoeconomic world, nation branding practices frequently remain deeply infused with rather traditional geopolitical scripts.

Making Chile Visible: Purposes, Operationalisation and Audiences from the Perspective of Nation Branding Practitioners

ABSTRACTChile has become the paradigm of nation branding in Latin America, employing branding initiatives to try to shake off the uncomfortable past of Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship, as well as to create a ‘new’ image that fits into a globalised and neoliberal world. Whilst there has previously been some analysis of Chile’s branding efforts, the viewpoints of the local actors involved in these initiatives have largely been ignored. This article addresses this issue, examining the tensions faced by different individuals who have taken part in nation branding in the country. Drawing on interviews with some of these individuals, this article examines three areas of tension: (1) the conflicting purposes guiding the practice of nation branding, (2) the difficulties around the operationalisation of nation branding and (3) the controversies regarding the intended audiences for their efforts.

Branding of a (Desti)nation with a Deteriorated Image: The Case of Serbia

This paper offers insights into the differentiation between nation branding and destination branding and how important it is for the successful rebranding of a country with a deteriorated and negative image. It is on the case of Serbia that authors wish to demonstrate how a country engages in competitive marketing strategies in order to boost investments, exports and employment opportunities, but fails to develop a coherent nation branding platform at the highest strategic level. The literature review highlights the differences and relations between three concepts - place branding, nation branding and destination branding. The paper presents the results of the content analysis of key branding initiatives, followed by visual messages, developed and implemented by the Serbian Government and the National Tourism Organization of Serbia in the period from 1996 to 2016. The results are chronologically presented in the form of a discussion, establishing links between destination branding and nation branding practices in Serbia. The conclusion is that none of the branding initiatives have proved successful until now. This is predominantly due to the Government’s lack of understanding of the very concept of nation branding and it being mistaken for destination branding and tourism marketing. Current promotional efforts focus on presenting Serbia to internal and external stakeholders primarily as a tourist destination.

Nation branding and right to brand/brand Turkey

This article investigates the public right to nation branding in Turkey, as this process has been carried out predominantly by the AKP (Justice and Development Party) government with minimal civil society and public involvement. Owing to its centrality to ‘Brand Turkey’ as a financial and tourism capital, Istanbul is one of the most significant city brands in formulating Brand Turkey. The 2013 Gezi Park protests in Istanbul introduced a new dynamic to nation branding practices in Turkey through re-appropriating meanings to widely utilized nation brand images. During the protests nation branding also became discursive assets for political leaders who presented Turkey’s brand image as the ‘common good’. The protests then became symbolic of the laicist fractions’ efforts to defend their lifestyle by reclaiming the symbolism used in Istanbul’s city brand. In order to examine the significance of the protests in the public right to nation branding, I employ a discourse analytic approach and deconstruct the projects carried out by the AKP government to brand Istanbul. Then I investigate the public discourse surrounding the Gezi Park protests while illustrating how the protests have deviated from the AKP’s efforts while employing similar visual representations.

Branding India: Constructing a reputation for responsibility in the nuclear order

Nation-branding professionals have the same goal as diplomats and politicians – the goal of endowing the nation with specific qualities in the minds of the target audience, so that it is identified with those qualities. In other words, they are constructing an identity for the country. Insights from the commercial practice of nation branding can illuminate the process of identity construction by states. As an illustration, the paper investigates the case of India’s branding/self-presentation as a responsible holder of nuclear weapons. In 1998, India declared itself a Nuclear Weapon State (NWS). Since India has not been granted NWS status under the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, this breach of international norms triggered condemnation. Today, however, India is being incorporated into the governance mechanisms of the nuclear order, to the extent that it is considered a de facto NWS. The paper identifies four strategies – differentiation, standardization, total branding, and crisis management – from a review of the nation-branding literature, and relates them to India’s foreign policy strategies in the nuclear issue area in the last two decades. This paper is an initial attempt to build a bridge between the International Relations and place-branding literatures.

Defence and Promotion of Desired State Identity in Russia’s Strategic Narrative

ABSTRACTThis article examines how the Russian state promotes and protects its preferred self-identity, using the conceptual framework of ‘strategic narrative’. Nation branding practices, including state-funded ‘mega-projects’ like the Sochi Olympics, have contributed to the narrative by characterising Russia as a welcoming, attractive destination. However, a more salient feature of Russia’s strategic narrative is intense ‘anti-Western’ and ‘anti-American’ political and media discourse, formulated to defend against rival, threatening narratives projected from other countries. Through analysis of official statements and state television content, this article demonstrates how determination to protect ‘great power’ and ‘European’ identities underlay Russia’s strategic narrative in 2014. It considers responses which the narrative has prompted, arguing that desired results in domestic reception have been achieved at the expense of unsatisfactory results internationally. Heavy-handed attacks on the identities of other states boost collective self-esteem among Russian citizens, but they fail to produce – and arguably obstruct – desired responses among foreign audiences.

Translating public diplomacy and nation branding in Scandinavia: An institutional approach to the cartoon crises

Nation branding has been criticised for leading to the homogenisation and depoliticisation of national interest and identity. This study examines the politics of nation branding in relation to its configuration with public diplomacy and the institutional policy context in which they are embedded. Informed by Scandinavian institutionalism and the analytical concept of translation, the study reveals that the way that nation branding relates to public diplomacy within an institutional context sets the frame for its politicisation. Translation enables the understanding of nation branding as a dynamic process of becoming that unfolds in relation to time and place. The research contributes to a more nuanced view on nation branding in presenting its toolbox practices as less determined by a corporate marketing logic. Despite the uniformity that allegedly characterises nation branding practices, the processes by which nation branding initiatives are implemented in Scandinavia are found to differ profoundly.

Branding the nation

This paper discusses how Switzerland is branded by the Swiss state under late capitalism. Drawing on discursive data collected in the framework of a research project investigating the international promotion of Switzerland, I particularly focus on how multilingualism and cultural diversity are constructed by the Swiss government as a capital belonging to Switzerland and its history and on how and why this imagined historical capital is reframed in promotional terms. In doing so, I question the function of the historicity of Swiss multilingualism and cultural diversity in nation branding practices and analyze the logics causing specific tokens of multilingualism and cultural diversity to emerge as desirable promotional features. Finally, I research how the promotional investment in Swiss multilingualism and cultural diversity affects the status and value of its historical capital and how this has consequences for what can be said (or not) about Switzerland and its history.

Nation branding for foreign direct investment: an Integrative review and directions for research and strategy

Purpose This study aims to address a heretofore neglected area in research, nation branding, for the purpose of attracting foreign direct investment (FDI). It compares and contrasts the well-established literature on decision-making and location choice in FDI with studies in the nascent field of nation branding, with a view to developing directions for future research that result from the identification of research gaps at the intersection point between the two areas. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on a systematic and integrative review of several streams within the relevant literatures, from the theory of decision-making in FDI to the similarities and differences between advertising, promotion, branding and marketing for investment on the part of nations and sub- or supra-national places. Findings Each of the two areas is characterized by lack of consensus as to the principal factors that affect investor and nation decisions and actions, resulting in several knowledge gaps that need to be addressed by new research along the lines suggested in the study. Research limitations/implications A large number of avenues for potential future research are identified, from assessing the importance of target country image in location choice to the adverse effects arising from the emphasis on “promotion” rather than “marketing” on the part of places engaged in nation branding efforts. Practical implications The study examines several problems that affect the practice of nation branding for FDI and points to alternative approaches that may enhance place marketers’ effectiveness in their efforts to attract foreign capital. Originality/value Notwithstanding the global growth of FDI in volume and importance, and the omnipresence of nation branding campaigns to promote exports or attract tourism and investment, there has been virtually no research to date on the core issue, nation branding for FDI. The study uses a strategic perspective that highlights key nation branding issues related to FDI, and FDI issues related to nation branding, and suggests a comprehensive agenda for research in the future.