On this page you can find online versions of a selection of Keith Dinnie’s place branding articles. These consist of journal and conference papers, as well as occasional place branding articles and interviews that have appeared in other media.
Japan’s Nation Branding: Recent Evolution and Potential Future Paths
Download paper 
| See publication details
This paper outlines the key aspects of nation branding and then considers the various nation branding activities engaged in by the Japanese government in recent years. Potential future paths for Japan’s nation branding are also explored.
Branding Cyprus — A Stakeholder Identification Perspective
Download paper | See publication details
This paper adopts qualitative, exploratory methodology in order to explore the branding of Cyprus from a stakeholder identification perspective. Drawing primarily on the literature from the fields of nation branding and corporate communications, we develop a conceptual framework for the identification of the range of diverse stakeholders whose interests need to be accommodated and nurtured within the overall strategy for branding a county, in this case Cyprus.
Member State Perspectives on the ASEAN Region Brand
Download paper | See publication details
In comparison with longer established and higher profile regional groupings such as the European Union (EU) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is in the early stages of its establishing its region brand. The objective of this study is to assess member states’ perceptions of the importance of the ASEAN region brand, not only in terms of tourism destination branding but also with regard to additional goals of place branding such as export promotion and the attraction of inward investment. The ASEAN region brand is relatively under-researched and this study aims to reduce that gap in the literature.
Country-of-Origin 1965-2004: A Literature Review
Download paper | See publication details
From the publication of its first study in 1965 up to the present day, country-of-origin has attracted a high level of interest from both scholars and practitioners. This paper reviews the country-of-origin literature and traces the conceptual development of the country-of-origin construct. Three main periods are identified in the development of the country-of-origin research, and the conceptual development of the country-of-origin construct is assessed through a chronological perspective.
Place Branding: Overview of an Emerging Literature
Download paper | See publication details
There is a small but rapidly growing body of literature pertaining to place branding. Many streams of research have provided input to the creation of knowledge in the domain of place branding. This diversity of sources encompasses many disciplines that rarely, if ever, attract attention in the marketing and branding literature. For example, the fields of sociology, history, national identity, and politics may be regarded as having a potentially important contribution to make to the practice of place branding. Practitioners and academics involved in place branding should therefore be prepared to scan horizons far wider than those associated purely with conventional brand management and brand strategy. This overview of the literature highlights the multifaceted nature of place branding and identifies some of the landmark texts and emerging avenues in the place branding literature.
The Nation Branding of the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Poland, and Hungary — Contrasting Approaches and Strategies
Download paper | See publication details
In comparison with higher profile countries in Western Europe, Asia, and North America, little research has been conducted into the nation branding of Central European countries such as the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Poland, and Hungary. This study aims to help fill this gap in the literature, by examining the contrasting approaches and strategies used by these four Central European countries in their respective attempts to develop strong nation brands.
Nation Branding and Russia: Prospects and Pitfalls
Download paper | See publication details
Specific challenges facing Russia include the complexity faced by any large, diverse nation to unify its many different domestic elements into a coherent perceptual entity; the need to deal in an effective way with an often hostile Western media; the embracing of branding techniques in ways that are more tuned to individualist audiences than old-style political propaganda; and the need to achieve better coordination between the different state and private sector actors engaged in Russia’s nation branding efforts. This article explores these and other issues pertaining to Russia’s nation branding.
Repositioning the Korea Brand to a Global Audience: Challenges, Pitfalls, and Current Strategy
Download paper | See publication details
Korea has been at the forefront of the recent surge of interest in the potential of nation branding. Driven largely by a desire to reposition the Korea brand away from negative association with North Korean brinkmanship and lingering images of the Korean War, the government of South Korea has committed significant resources and energy to position the Korea brand as a vibrant dynamic democracy, creative and open to the world. Whether this attempted repositioning of the Korea brand will be successful remains to be seen. The current raft of nation-branding activities initiated and coordinated by the recently established Presidential Council on Nation Branding will need to deliver tangible outcomes within the next two to three years; otherwise the initial enthusiasm will dissipate, political support will dwindle, and inertia will set in.
Leveraging Nation Brand Equity — Potential Strategies for Trinidad and Tobago
Download paper | See publication details
To date, no country has succeeded in creating a convincingly comprehensive and coherent nation branding strategy that could serve as a template for others to follow. Examples of good practice do exist — New Zealand and Spain are probably the most frequently cited cases — yet there is little empirical evidence to demonstrate whether the success of such countries was due to their nation branding strategies or to other factors. Therefore every country, including Trinidad and Tobago, must develop its own original nation branding strategy based on its own unique attributes and circumstances. In terms of its nation brand, Trinidad and Tobago starts from a stronger position than many other countries. Awareness levels are reasonably high. Independent external endorsements of the Trinidad and Tobago brand have been made by the IMF, Moody’s Investor Services, and World Travel Awards. This article discusses this and other key dimensions of Trinidad and Tobago’s nation brand equity.
Nation Branding Interview — Brief for Poland
Download paper | See publication details
In this wide-ranging interview by leading Polish marketing magazine Brief for Poland, Dr Keith Dinnie discusses the future of the nation branding concept; the challenge of coordinating different stakeholders in nation branding strategy; the role of Poland’s nation, city and export brands; and, the potential application of corporate social responsibility (CSR) principles to the branding of places.