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pro tability because its name sounds very non-Chi- nese, obscuring the fact that Lenovo manufactures in China. Lenovo probably made a wise choice of names because China is known for low-cost man- ufacturing but not for reliability or technological innovation. Similarly, Intel does not advertise that Israeli engineers designed its laptop chips, perhaps because Intel does not want its products to be asso- ciated with Israel’s geopolitical struggles.
On the ip side, some businesses might take advantage of the positive brand image of a nation or region by creating an undeserved or attenuated association. Häagen-Dazs ice cream is a brand name that most associate with being from Scan- dinavia, which carries a positive wholesome dairy association. But Häagen-Dazs originated in the Bronx, a borough of New York City that is not well known for its dairy products.
return on nation branding
e e ect of a nation’s brand on its economy cannot be understated. While a nation’s brand cer- tainly a ects its tourism industry, the brand also has powerful e ects on the value and volume of the nation’s product exports and foreign direct invest- ment, which have a direct a ect on the nation’s GDP.
Just as businesses use methods such as adver- tising to in uence consumers’ perceptions of their brands, nations may invest in campaigns to try
to shape global views. Branding of geographical regions is not a new practice. Various regions have famously employed branding techniques to boost their economies. Notable examples from the United
States include the municipal branding campaign, “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas,” and state branding campaigns like “I Love New York” and “Virginia is for Lovers.”
On the world stage, major nation branding campaigns include “Come Back to Jamaica,” an e ective campaign to boost tourism, and more recently “Make in India” aimed at encouraging businesses to manufacture in India. e campaign promotes the opening of India’s formerly protec- tionist economy to foreign business. Dubai, one of the emirates of the UAE, has used innovative nation branding strategies to increase foreign domestic investment, including promotion of its free-trade zones, as well as tourism.
Not all nation-branding e orts are immedi- ately obvious to the general population. Less visible e orts may target speci c sectors of the business community to encourage investment or trade. ese behind-the-scenes nation-branding e orts are similar to the direct marketing of consumer products to individual consumers—e orts that are not readily visible to the general public but which are highly e ective. For these campaigns, a nation might make use of tourist bureaus, chambers of commerce, foreign trade administrators, foreign exchange programs, public diplomacy and cultural a airs o cers, and even foreign aid and disaster relief programs.
The best countries Study
As with a business and its brands, marketing metrics can help a nation, manage its brand. Survey research can provide valuable feedback to nations
The state branding campaigns “Virginia is for lovers” and “I Love New York” have an impact not only on a state’s tourism industry, but also its overall economy.
sPotlight oN braNDiNg
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