BRAND USA has embarked on its first ever dedicated youth marketing campaign, signing at $4 million two-year deal with STA Travel. The youth tour operator is aiming to increase its global sales to the US by 30% over the period. The mainly online campaign has launched in the UK, northern and central Europe, Asia, Australia and South Africa with a competition to win a road trip to the States.

The extension, previously most commonly associated with the Southeast Asian country Laos, is meant to "appeal to local business owners — those in Los Angeles and possibly also Louisiana — who haven't been able to secure the name of their businesses using .com, .net or .org extensions," according to Mashable.

Giant pandas are not only one of China's most visible symbols, but are probably the country's biggest brand. One third of all tourist revenues in the province of Sichuan come from pandas, putting the equivalent of $16bn into the government's coffers.

Our neighbor’s tourism theme song “Malaysia Truly Asia” has been ringing in our ears for so many years that we can easily hum it. The campaign, presenting the country as a potpourri of Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures living together in harmony, has succeeded in presenting a positive Malaysian image overseas.

It’s Independence Day, which means celebrating our core values as a nation -- freedom from tyranny, constitutional democracy, prosperity. Which are also ‘brand values’ for the United States as a global venture. We promote and sell America to the world -- with music and movies, technology, leadership in international financial institutions such as the IMF and G-8.

What happens when the domestic public seemingly overtakes a country’s public diplomacy agenda? Brazil looked like it had scored a double goal when it secured the bid to host the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics. A massive promotional campaign to garner world attention was well underway. And then came the massive protests by the Brazilian public.

What happens when the domestic public seemingly overtakes a country’s public diplomacy agenda?

Brazil looked like it had scored a double goal when it secured the bid to host the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics. A massive promotional campaign to garner world attention was well underway. And then came the massive protests by the Brazilian public.

More specifically, it is a glimpse at how urban centers led by Lagos, Africa's biggest city, are positioning themselves to accomplish what any number of rebel groups and secessionists movements have failed to achieve since the continent's independence era commenced in the late 1950s: redraw a remarkably static political map of Africa, imposed by European imperialists over a century ago.