The notion that every nation is a brand, which needs to be differentiated from other nations and promoted internationally, is relatively new but gaining acceptance. A good nation brand can create a synergy of national assets and bolster a country's global impact, helping to promote trade, investment and tourism.

There is a growing body of related literature. Below are several articles that examine nation branding from a variety of perspectives.

		Colombia Wants the World to Recognize Its Passion In 1996, when a Colombian government official first approached marketing consultant David Lightle about a campaign to improve the nation's image, Mr. Lightle looked around Bogota and told him the truth: "Don't waste your money," he recalls saying.... more>>
		Korea Lacks in Strong Identity in Brand Positioning WASHINGTON -- Korea can definitely benefit from a well-executed nation branding program. Already it has one of the world's strongest economies and some of the best international corporate brands, such as Hyundai, Samsung and LG. What it lacks is a distinct position in the world in the minds of most people... more>>
		Rating Nation Brands: What Really Counts? Brand managers are fond of lists showing how their brands stack up against the competition. The same is true for nation branding. But how do you rank a nation brand? How does Germany's brand stack up against Singapore's? Or France's against the UK's?... more>>
		Emerging Nations Cultivate Agricultural Brands Farm products are traditionally sold as commodities. Yet, some farmers earn greater profits by branding the geographic regions where their goods are grown—for example, Parma ham in Italy or French products sold under the Appellation d'origine contrôlèe label. But what if the farm products come from... more>>
		Branding Korea President Lee Myung-bak's initiative to address Korea's brand perception overseas has stirred a debate about what nation branding really is, and whether it is worthwhile. In a nutshell: this is a very good initiative that can be of great benefit to Korea... more>>
		The Concept and Benefits of Nation Branding It’s nothing new for nations to care about image, but the past ten years represent a turning point in the methods states use to manage their reputations. In many cases, governments now hire public relations firms and apply brand management theory—formerly the domain of corporate communications departments... more>>
		Corporate Strategies for a Nation's Success Studies indicate that about one third of the world's wealth lies in corporate brands. Thus, although brands are considered intangible assets, the owner of a successful brand possesses wealth. more>>
		Why Nation Branding Is Important For Tourism Promoting tourism products successfully requires a context that allows your audience to appreciate what your country has to offer to visitors. That context is the overall image, or brand, of your country... more>>
		Nation Branding Explained It’s nothing new for nations to care about image, but the past ten years represent a turning point in the methods states use to manage their reputations. In many cases, governments now hire public relations firms and apply brand management theory—formerly the domain of corporate communications departments... more>>
		The Rise of the Brand State Look at the covers of the brochures in any travel agency and you will see the various ways in which countries present themselves on the world's mental map. Singapore has a smiling, beautiful face offering us tasty appetizers on an airplane, whereas Ireland is a windy, green island full of freckled, red-haired... more>>
		Democracy Rules the Marketplace Many branding professionals believe that the marketplace is in fact more democratic than the voting booth, in so far as the market expresses popular opinion through the interplay of supply and demand and market polls. A few branding experts even feel that the marketplace is more democratic than any of the formal... more>>
		Mapping a Country's Future Many think a country, place or region constitutes a brand, and now a few countries are currently working on strategies to spruce up their brand images. In the case of exports, the thinking goes something like this: once a country has become known as an exporter of quality branded goods, the country’s product... more>>
		Control, Control, Control: Advocacy Advertising and Public Relations It’s nothing new for nations to care about image, but the past ten years represent a turning point in the methods states use to manage their reputations. In many cases, governments now hire public relations firms and apply brand management theory—formerly the domain of corporate communications departments... more>>
		Nation Branding and Place Marketing The series titled 'Nation Branding and Place Marketing' was written by International Media Analyst Sam Vaknin. Nation Branding and Place Marketing Nation Branding and Place Marketing - The Product Nation Branding and Place Marketing - The Price Nation Branding and Place Marketing - The Place Nation Branding and Place Marketing - Promotion, Sales, and Advertising Nation Branding and Place Marketing - The Sales Force and Marketing Implementation Oversight