Volume 2 Number 1 2024
Rethinking Nation Brand Equity: Integrating Perception, Performance, and Trust in a Dynamic Global Context
Salman JodAllah Alzowibi 1*
Business and Social Sciences 2 (1) 1-8 https://doi.org/10.25163/business.2110604
Submitted: 30 January 2024 Revised: 02 April 2024 Accepted: 10 April 2024 Published: 12 April 2024
Nation branding has evolved into a strategic tool for shaping international perception, yet the ways we measure it remain fragmented and inconsistent. This review explores how a country’s reputation and brand equity can be meaningfully assessed across economic, social, and perceptual dimensions. By drawing on established marketing frameworks (Aaker, Keller) and global nation brand indices (Anholt-Ipsos, Brand Finance), it proposes a multidimensional model built around four interconnected pillars: Awareness, Perception, Performance, and Trust. Through illustrative case studies of Japan, Saudi Arabia, and New Zealand, the analysis reveals how alignment—or misalignment—between a nation’s projected image and its lived reality influences reputational outcomes. Japan demonstrates how consistent performance and perception foster enduring global trust, while Saudi Arabia shows the challenges of building credibility during rapid narrative shifts. New Zealand highlights the power of ethical and nature-centered branding in cultivating emotional trust. The study further examines the transformative role of emerging technologies, including AI-driven sentiment analysis and real-time data analytics, in capturing the nuanced and evolving dimensions of nation brand equity. The findings suggest that governments, academics, and practitioners must move beyond static economic metrics, integrating qualitative insights and emotional factors to measure reputation authentically. By combining quantitative precision with human-centered understanding, this review offers a forward-looking framework for evaluating national reputation, positioning trust as a critical complement to traditional economic indicators.
Keywords: Nation brand equity, reputation measurement, perception, trust, brand indices, soft power, brand performance, AI analytics
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