Country Branding: Promoting Investment, Tourism and Export through Country Communication Management and Social Engineering

Abstract

Country branding, which is about employing strategic marketing to promote a country's identity, has become a strategic tool of a country's competitiveness. However, only few developing countries have articulated and implemented a branding strategy. This paper examines the competitive advantage a country brand engenders for developing countries-in terms of exports, inward investment, tourism, and positive image. Furthermore, emphasising country branding as a communication management and social engineering, this paper argues that there is more than persuasive rationale for a country branding strategy to integrate and to direct the full range of political, economic, cultural and social programmes towards national development, wealth creation and social cohesion.