Emerging country brands on the rise
With the former unique “country brand” of the United States and Europe’s iconic country brands such as France, Italy and Spain beginning to lose clout with a global audience, there is now room for new forerunners in the race for the next global country brand icons.
Emerging nations are on course to build their own recognisable and marketable identity, according to findings of international brand consultancy FutureBrand, part of US advertising giant IPG.
FutureBrand does not only rank the world’s current leading country brands – which are, in 2012/13, Switzerland, Canada, Japan, Sweden and New Zealand (only to name the top 5) -, but – more interestingly – the “Future Forward Country Brands”, which are a mixture of Middle Eastern, Asian, South American and second-tier European states.
Future Fifteen Country Brands:
- United Arab Emirates
- Chile
- Malaysia
- Qatar
- Estonia
- China
- Iceland
- Mexico
- Brazil
- Turkey
- Thailand
- Colombia
- India
- Kazakhstan
- Vietnam
FutureBrand’s ranking is based on insights from a collective of 3,600 opinion-formers and frequent international travelers from 18 countries. The brand analysts say that they use a special decision model to determine how key audiences – residents, investors, tourists and foreign governments – see the world’s country brands, from awareness through to advocacy, from their cultures, to their industries, to their economic vitality and public policy initiatives – based on global perceptions today.
The Future Fifteen country brands have been chosen in accordance with their likelihood to transform the global landscape economically, politically and culturally in years to come.
The inaugural Future Fifteen recognises the United Arab Emirates as the forerunner among tomorrow’s leading country brands, the analysts say. The report cites the UAE’s “aptitude in capitalising on its abundance of natural resources and in exercising excellent government foresight around policy and investment as one of the strongest indicators of its future success.”
Malaysia has been ranked the strongest future country brand in Asia, ahead of China, with other strong Southeast Asian brands being Thailand and Vietnam.
FutureBrand has identified six core determinants of a country’s prospective leadership, which are:
Governance: A government’s ability to effectively implement policies that protect its people and goals, as well as outside factors such as the influence of corruption on a macro- or micro-level
Investment: A country’s financial commitment to its future vision based on investment in infrastructure, education, healthcare, communications technology and international partnerships
Human capital: The competencies, knowledge and values underpinning a national vision
Growth: The current momentum behind a country’s growth in population, GDP, exports, etc.
Sustainability: A country’s financial management, resource dependence and adherence to international norms
Influence: A country’s weight in the global community as evidenced by economic, political and cultural influence
While a high ranking in any one of these dimensions may not guarantee a country’s future success, FutureBrand’s report indicates that a combined commitment across each of these elements can be telling in determining which nations will become a global force.
[caption id="attachment_5108" align="alignleft" width="300"] Malaysia has been ranked the third strongest future country brand out of fifteen countries[/caption] With the former unique "country brand" of the United States and Europe's iconic country brands such as France, Italy and Spain beginning to lose clout with a global audience, there is now room for new forerunners in the race for the next global country brand icons. Emerging nations are on course to build their own recognisable and marketable identity, according to findings of international brand consultancy FutureBrand, part of US advertising giant IPG. FutureBrand does not only rank the world’s current leading...
With the former unique “country brand” of the United States and Europe’s iconic country brands such as France, Italy and Spain beginning to lose clout with a global audience, there is now room for new forerunners in the race for the next global country brand icons.
Emerging nations are on course to build their own recognisable and marketable identity, according to findings of international brand consultancy FutureBrand, part of US advertising giant IPG.
FutureBrand does not only rank the world’s current leading country brands – which are, in 2012/13, Switzerland, Canada, Japan, Sweden and New Zealand (only to name the top 5) -, but – more interestingly – the “Future Forward Country Brands”, which are a mixture of Middle Eastern, Asian, South American and second-tier European states.
Future Fifteen Country Brands:
- United Arab Emirates
- Chile
- Malaysia
- Qatar
- Estonia
- China
- Iceland
- Mexico
- Brazil
- Turkey
- Thailand
- Colombia
- India
- Kazakhstan
- Vietnam
FutureBrand’s ranking is based on insights from a collective of 3,600 opinion-formers and frequent international travelers from 18 countries. The brand analysts say that they use a special decision model to determine how key audiences – residents, investors, tourists and foreign governments – see the world’s country brands, from awareness through to advocacy, from their cultures, to their industries, to their economic vitality and public policy initiatives – based on global perceptions today.
The Future Fifteen country brands have been chosen in accordance with their likelihood to transform the global landscape economically, politically and culturally in years to come.
The inaugural Future Fifteen recognises the United Arab Emirates as the forerunner among tomorrow’s leading country brands, the analysts say. The report cites the UAE’s “aptitude in capitalising on its abundance of natural resources and in exercising excellent government foresight around policy and investment as one of the strongest indicators of its future success.”
Malaysia has been ranked the strongest future country brand in Asia, ahead of China, with other strong Southeast Asian brands being Thailand and Vietnam.
FutureBrand has identified six core determinants of a country’s prospective leadership, which are:
Governance: A government’s ability to effectively implement policies that protect its people and goals, as well as outside factors such as the influence of corruption on a macro- or micro-level
Investment: A country’s financial commitment to its future vision based on investment in infrastructure, education, healthcare, communications technology and international partnerships
Human capital: The competencies, knowledge and values underpinning a national vision
Growth: The current momentum behind a country’s growth in population, GDP, exports, etc.
Sustainability: A country’s financial management, resource dependence and adherence to international norms
Influence: A country’s weight in the global community as evidenced by economic, political and cultural influence
While a high ranking in any one of these dimensions may not guarantee a country’s future success, FutureBrand’s report indicates that a combined commitment across each of these elements can be telling in determining which nations will become a global force.
