EXPRESS: Nation Brands and Firm Branding Strategy: Bibliometric, Conceptual, Econometric and Wavelet Analyses

Nation brands and firm branding strategy are inextricably linked. However, the two streams of literature have evolved, and are often discussed, independently. This study provides a bibliometric analysis that examines the connection between these two research domains by drawing insights from 2,226 studies published between 1967 and 2025. This study provides a broad overview of how the field has developed over the past five decades. Building on social network theory and keyword co-occurrence map analysis, five interconnected thematic clusters are identified: (1) country-of-origin effects and consumer country dispositions, (2) digital engagement and customer relationships, (3) corporate social responsibility and trust, (4) brand equity and strategic brand management, and (5) marketing strategy and financial outcomes. By combining non-parametric, parametric, and wavelet analyses of the evolving knowledge structure with the identification of the longitudinal social network underlying the literature, this study clarifies the observed dynamics among the thematic clusters. Moreover, it supports a conceptual framework that differentiates foundational clusters from clusters acting as propelling mechanisms of knowledge diffusion, and emerging “rising star” clusters, contributing to the consolidation of new studies on nation brands and firm branding strategies. Scholarly and managerial implications, future research directions, and limitations are discussed.