Media Resources of Chambers of Commerce and Industry as a Tool of Country Branding

The paper represents the studies of media resources of foreign Chambers of Commerce in Russia as an instrument of country branding in the business environment. The main objective of the work is to study and to systematize the experience of using media resources of the CCI as an instrument of country branding and develop recommendations on the most effective use of this type of media resources. To achieve this goal the following objectives were set: to systematize the basic theories concerning the country branding and marketing, to gather and structure the base of media used by the CCI, to review the experience of using media resources of various foreign CCI in Russia; to identify the main business areas requiring promotion in the media of the CCI, to make a comparative analysis of coverage of topical issues for investors by various CCI, to propose criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of the CCI media and to make recommendations for its improvement. The results of the study: systematization of theories on country branding and marketing, development of databases media of major foreign CCI in Russia, research of use of media resources of the three biggest foreign CCI in Russia; identification of the main business areas requiring promotion in the media of the CCI, a content analysis in order to evaluate the activity of coverage of this topics by the printed media of CCI; elaboration of three groups of criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of the use of CCI media, recommendations for improvement of the efficiency of the studied media resources. Among these recommendations: the coordination of the topics covered by the CCI, with questions, which are recognized priorities at the state level; carrying out work in the CCI evaluating the effectiveness of the use of media resources in relation to specific metrics; optimization of distribution of printed publications, the development of sites and social networks; active promotion of CCI media on the Internet etc.