Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/229838

Title

Corporationalism: subjective creation of national identities and nation-brands

Author(s)

Muratovski, Gjoko

Abstract

In today's globalisation, countries compete with each other in the same manner as the multinational corporations do. Recently, the term 'nation-brand' has appeared, together with a nation-brand index that tracks how a particular country's reputation responds to activities, promotions and events at home and around the world. Countries, like corporations and products have brand values and reputations. These 'branding' factors are analogous to identity formulation on a national and personal level. For example visual motifs and icons have a dramatic impact on how successful that country is in attracting tourists, foreign investment, capital, talent, cultural relations and political allies. Such manifestations of identity are vital to the marketing of products and services abroad. In order for a country to develop itself as a competitive nation-brand, it needs to have a strong national identity. The paper will argue that in a same manner as the corporate identity, the national identity serves as a foundation on which the 'brand image' is built. The brand's image is a representation of the brand's culture (in this case the nation's culture); therefore, how the image is formed and what kind of form it takes should be of concern to the government, the industry and the local communities. For that reason, strong interdisciplinary partnerships need to be established, as only then the communication of the country's image can bring success in the above-mentioned areas of interest.

Publication type

Conference paper

Source

Proceedings of 'Sites of activity / on the edge', the 2008 Australian Council of University Art and Design Schools (ACUADS) Annual Conference, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 01-03 October 2008 / Kathleen Connellan (ed.)

Publication year

2008

Keyword(s)

Balkans;  Brand communication;  Brand image;  Branding;  Competition;  Corporationalism;  Eastern Europe;  Macedonia;  Nation-brand;  National identities;  National identity;  National reputation;  Post-colonial nations;  Post-communist nations;  Propaganda;  Subjectivity;  Symbolism

Publisher

Australian Council of University Art and Design Schools

ISBN

9780975836040, 0975836048

Publisher URL

http://acuads.com.au/conference/2008-conference#papers

Copyright

Copyright © 2008.

Peer reviewed