Nation branding, propaganda, and public relations: An analysis of English-language developing country head of state Web sites

This quantitative content analysis and narrative analysis of the 31 developing countries with official head of state English-language Web sites determines how leaders of developing countries are representing themselves to an English-speaking audience on the World Wide Web. The study factors in the characteristics and features of Web sites to develop and test a culturally sensitive model of effective public relations practice that incorporates theoretical aspects of international public relations, persuasion, and propaganda.; The 31 heads of state of state in the study population have chosen a mass-mediated technology to reserve a storefront in the global marketplace of the World Wide Web. The data suggest that Web presence is only one issue, however; how the sites contribute to nation branding is another issue. Study findings revealed there is no standard way in which heads of state of developing countries represent themselves on the World Wide Web, although all use propaganda to varying degrees and purposes on their Web sites. The study also found that Web sites are more similar than dissimilar in content but not in design.; From the results of the mixed-methods research strategy, the model was revised to incorporate persuasion theory through the use of latitudes. Using propaganda devices developed by the Institute for Propaganda Analysis, the data suggest that the devices of glittering generalities, transfer, testimonial, bandwagon, and plain folks fall on a continuum tending toward effective public relations practice. Ad hominem, card stacking, fear appeal, false dichotomy, and name calling devices conversely tend away from effective public relations practice and are limited in movement on the proposed continuum of effective public relations practice. The model resulting from this study demonstrates that public relations research needs to advance beyond western-based models that exclude propaganda and develop theory that strengthens the link between international public relations and persuasion.