Five Myths about Nation Branding

Nation branding, the managing of a country's reputation like that of a corporation, has evolved from just a buzzword to an important tool for countries seeking to compete in the global marketplace. Yet any conversation on nation branding is likely to lead to lots of heated discussion but no resolution. Here's a quick guide to the most salient issues in the debate:

1. "A nation's brand doesn't really matter."

   In reality, a country's image can have enormous impact. A Fast Company-IMB Business School poll found that 43% of Americans said they would be less likely to buy a computer from Chinese-owned Lenovo, despite the fact that it was the same product IBM had marketed successfully for years. All things being equal, the stronger the country's brand, the greater the benefit for its corporations, products, tourism industries and relations with other countries.

2. "Advertising doesn't work."

   Creating a nation's brand takes years—as does refining it. Advertising's power is limited, especially if done in isolation. Just as a product that doesn't work as advertised won't succeed, a country that promotes an inauthentic message will see little impact from advertising, no matter how clever or frequent the message.

   Paid advertising to promote a nation's political, economic and tourism messages, if done well, can play a vital role in an overall strategy that integrates public diplomacy, lobbying and public relations.

   Relevant advertising—placed in appropriate media with an audience that matters—can be very effective. In a study of the media habits of Washington leaders, 65% said they took action after seeing public policy advertisements. These actions included sending an ad to a colleague and going to an advertisers' website to learn more. Influential Foreign Policy readers are very engaged—69% said they perform further research on topics covered in the magazine.

3. "Our government can't afford it."

   Every year, corporations and governments spend billions of dollars lobbying American political and business leaders. Paid media campaigns actually offer a cost-effective way to get your country's perspective in the minds of the important Foreign Policy audience.

4. "Nation branding is best left to private sector."

   Communicating a coordinated message about a country's economic, political and social strengths requires a unified and well thought out plan. Leaving the task exclusively to the private sector can invite confusion as different entities create conflicting messages. A centrally planned approach works best.

5. "We prefer other media."

   Communicating a complex message requires a media environment best suited for reflective thinking. Television and radio are difficult places for such a campaign. Magazines offer a more appropriate landscape—95% of Foreign Policy readers spend more than an hour with each issue, 43% spend more than three hours.