Country images are important extrinsic cues in product evaluations. They elicit
associations and they can influence purchase decisions. A positive country image
can foster a positive reputation for a whole product category. A nation’s success in
developing a beneficial image for a certain line of products or services, for example,
can be used for branding (Stock, 2009). Countries in themselves could be perceived as
products, or preferably brands. According to Fan (2006), there is a correlation between
countries that produce strong brands and those that are strong brands.