Made in Italy e country branding: strategie di marca per il Sistema Italia

The purpose of the paper is to explore the concept of Made in Italy in the light of the latest trends in internationalization processes. From simple indication of origin to megabrand, the Made in Italy phenomenon benefits from positive reputational capital on the part of international stakeholder, which has not yet been fully exploited. The image of Made in Italy requires the construction of a country branding process aimed at ensuring a unique, clear and distinctive positioning, and at highlighting meanings, myths and “memes” that refer to the country’s social and competitive identity. Building a coherent country brand system at international level requires strong coordination between the government, the economic industry, civil society, and the representatives of the mass media in country involved. Moreover, it is suggested that policy makers play a crucial role in defining sophisticated marketing strategies that are able to enhance the country reputation through country brand identity.