FINNISH COUNTRY IMAGE AND ITS USE VIA WEBSITES

Abstract

Country of origin, or country image studies have explored international consumer behaviour for several decades. Today country image studies are more complex issues due to world trade, globalisation, and hybrid products. In this study the focus was to examine how country image can be utilised in marketing communications, and more specifically in internet advertising. The study concentrates on analysing Finnish country image and how it is used in Finnish companies’ websites.

The theoretical part of the study consists of earlier research and literature about country of origin and internet advertising. The register country image is a sum of many factors, in which is possible to influence by utilising various marketing strategies. Different customer characteristics and purchasing evaluation situations are important factors when predicting the country of origin effect.

The empirical part was accomplished with content analysis; in the first phase Finnish authorized websites were analysed. The aim was to define the general image of Finland trough websites. In the second phase the websites of 61 Finnish small and medium sized companies in fashion and design industry were analysed. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to describe and analyse the web pages. The results show that Finnish SME`S in design and fashion industry used a little Finnish country image on their web sites but emphasised of being the representatives of Finnish design.