Geopolitical Brand Building: the Case of Novorossiya

Purpose – To conceptualize the model of geopolitical brand building for an analysis of the emergence of new states. Design/methodology/approach – This paper takes a case study approach and tests the proposed model on the... [ view full abstract ]

Purpose – To conceptualize the model of geopolitical brand building for an analysis of the emergence of new states.
Design/methodology/approach – This paper takes a case study approach and tests the proposed model on the Novorossiya brand as it emerged during the crisis in Ukraine in 2014.
Findings – Geopolitical brands can be distinguished as a specific type of brand, because they are aimed at territorial rearrangements which lead to conflicts often escalating in violence. Novorossiya as a globally recognizable brand is a geopolitical asset for its stakeholders.
Research limitations/implications – The paper is a seminal conceptualization of a geopolitical brand building model, and therefore its further elaboration requires additional research. The model could be specified by expanding the number of cases and using other research methods.
Practical implications – The geopolitical brand building model can be used for a comprehensive analysis of the formation of new states.
Originality/value – The novelty of the paper is an approach to the analysis of geopolitical turbulence from the perspective of branding which enables a unified approach to strategic and communication aspects of new geopolitical formations. Such a perspective is relevant in the light of the changes taking place in the international system.