Brands, pseudo-brands, and quasi-brands in the multi-level macroecosystem of nation branding

Abstract

Goal: to apply an integral approach to building a model of a multi-level macroecosystem of nation branding based on:

• analyzing of options for representing the brand phenomenon in the context of the modern international division of labor;
• applying the brand concept behind the borders of markets for goods/services and relationships between their producers, sellers and consumers.

Methodology: the theoretical research was carried out on the basis of a semantic-conceptual analysis of publications relevant to the purposes of the article concerning issues of brand representation, the country-of-origin effect, pseudo-foreign brands and the ecosystem approach in economics.

Findings: three aggregated categories of brands were identified, their definitions were developed and relevant examples in various areas of the country’s socio-economic life were considered, as well as the feasibility of an ecosystem approach to country branding was substantiated.

Originality and contribution: for the first time, along with the category of true brands of goods/services and corporations, quasi-brands and pseudo-brands are comprehensively considered (with special attention paid to the state and prospects of pseudo-foreign branding in Russia); in addition, an original model of a multi-level macro-ecosystem of country branding and a corresponding definition of the latter are proposed.

Besides, the identification of complex connections between brands of these three categories made it possible to propose the author’s model of a centralized multilevel macroecosystem of nation branding and an original definition of the latter.

Keywords:

brand, country-of-origin effect, halal, hybrid product, import substitution, kosher, “Made in Russia”, nation brand, macroecosystem of nation branding, place brand, pseudo-brand, pseudo-foreign branding, quasi-brand