“Exotic, welcoming and fresh” : stereotypes in new Nordic branding

Purpose: Ideas related to “the Nordic” are important in the reconstruction of national identities in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, and these countries’ modern national narratives are structurally highly similar. At the same time, there are clear differences between the Nordic countries regarding their national images. This paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the relationship between ideas of the Nordic and national images through a qualitative study of brand manifestations on Nordic web portals for foreign visitors. Design/methodology/approach: The two guiding research questions are: How do Nordic branding strategies and national stereotypes impact on nation-branding content towards visitors in the Nordic region? What traces of the Nordic as a supranational concept can be found when the Nordic is translated into concrete national brand manifestations? The analysis focus on brand manifestations such as brand visions, codes of expression, differentiation, narrative identity, and ideologies. Findings: The analysis shows that clichés about the nations prevail in contemporary brand material, and that Nordic branding strategies impact on the portals in diffuse and implicit ways. There are, however, some important common denominators, pointing towards a new Nordic brand related to exotic, untouched yet easily accessible nature, with a focus on pure, fresh and clean food with new tastes, in combination with happy and welcoming people. Originality/value: The results from the study contribute with insight in how ideas of the Nordic on a supranational level transform when used in concrete and practical branding material. Further, the paper proposes a new Nordic branding focus, which contests traditional Nordic ideas.