Many countries are trying every means possible to expand their cultural capacity. The United States, European Union member countries, Japan, Korea, and Singapore are all active players in the new-round competition in cultural soft power.

Brand strategist Peter Economides knows about taking brands at their lowest ebb and turning them into world-beaters. He was part of the team that helped create Apple’s “Think Different” campaign in 1997. ....Economides believes that Greece is at the point where an inspired and properly managed rebranding campaign could turn it into the “Apple of the Mediterranean.”

Sun explained that a country’s political image, geographical location and international interaction all contribute to the way consumers buy products. He cited an example in which an American wants to buy a car but contemplates the decision because he or she feels reluctant to buy a car from a communist country.