Brand Finance’s annual report confirms that the US remains the world’s most valuable nation brand. The report, which was highlighted in Research, looks at the impact a country’s reputation and image has on governments, investors, students, and consumers. China, Germany, UK, and Japan round out the top five. Fastest growing countries in terms of brand value include Qatar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, and Ireland.
In terms of nation brand strength, which is the part most directly influenced by brand campaigns, Germany takes the top spot, followed by Singapore, Switzerland, and the US. “Branding activities carried out by nations have been on the increase for the last two decades, although there is some debate as to whether the branding of an entire nation is actually possible given its complexity. What is very clear is that countries are trying to maximize the strong elements of their identity and image and improve more negative perceptions in order to be more competitive in the global marketplace.” The report stresses that country branding is more than just tourism. “Tourism is a great economic contributor and brand builder for a country, but this and other sectors have to be brought together. Nation branding should be done in a holistic way to avoid mixed messaging and a multiplicity of logos, slogans and other brand communications.”
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