Russian Federation
Russian Federation
The intensification of international competition and global information and psychological confrontation constitutes an objective factor influencing the perception of a state’s image by both domestic and foreign audiences. The purpose of the article is to provide a theoretical description of the concept of “national branding” in its inseparable connection with the state of public opinion, as well as the image and reputation of the state, within the context of international relations. In domestic political discourse, national branding is studied fragmentarily and primarily through the prism of territorial branding and related categories such as public opinion, the image, and the reputation of the state. The objectives of the article are to theoretically systematize approaches to the concept of national branding, identify its interrelation with public opinion, the image, and the reputation of the state in the context of international perception, and to propose a model of national branding. The study compares scholarly definitions and identifies the key meanings of the aforementioned concepts, determines their positions within the hierarchy of perception, manageability, and resistance to information and psychological influence. The methodological framework of the study is based on the systemic and comparative approaches to the examined concepts. The research employs methods of analysis of academic sources by domestic and foreign scholars, comparative analysis, and theoretical modeling. As a result, it is established that national branding, characterized by a high degree of stability, manageability, and long-term orientation, performs a coordinating function in relation to public opinion, the image, and the reputation of the state, which represent the cognitive and affective outcomes of audience perception of mass information. The study concludes that national branding serves as an instrument of information and psychological influence, positioning, and state competitiveness, shaping a stable perception of the state and reflecting its geopolitical influence.
branding, national brand, territorial branding, state image, country reputation, information and psychological influence, state image
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