FutureBrand Country Index reveals resilience during year of global crises
Announcement posted by Pilot PR 12 Nov 2020
● Index is most comprehensive and only one of its kind, conducted six months into global coronavirus pandemic
● Key findings include Japan securing #1 country brand spot for third time; New Zealand topping new list of best handlers of coronavirus; and the UAE entering top ten as Middle East improves global standing
FutureBrand, the global brand transformation company, has today launched its 2020 Country Index, providing in-depth and nuanced rankings of global country brands. Conducted six months into the coronavirus pandemic, the Country Index (Ci) reveals unexpected resilience during a year of crises.
Japan retained its #1 spot in the rankings, a position it has held since the inaugural index was launched in 2014. It was joined in the top five by Switzerland, Germany and Canada, with the UAE and New Zealand entering the top ten for the first time in 9th and 10th place respectively.
The U.S. and U.K. retained spots in the top twenty, despite a year marked by political tensions and, of course, the continuing fall-out from the coronavirus pandemic. Each country fell just one place in the rankings, taking 13th and 20th place respectively, indicating robust country brands in the face of crises.
New to the Ci for 2020 is a swathe of questions relating to coronavirus, including a ranking of the best handlers of the coronavirus pandemic. New Zealand secured the top spot in the list, followed by China in 2nd place and Germany in 3rd place. Interestingly, “don’t know” took 4th place, with qualitative data from respondents indicating more time was needed to properly assess the success of different governmental strategies. South Korea rounded out the top five.
FutureBrand Australia CEO Rich Curtis commented: “In a year like no other, the FutureBrand Country Index 2020 continues to demonstrate how the drivers of success for any country's brand are not simply financial. Now more than ever, 'quality of life' is the key to unlocking not only travel and tourism potential, but also the possibilities that come with trade and investment."
"If COVID has taught us anything, it's the value of resilience for any brand. It's a characteristic that has helped Australia's country brand move up the rankings this year, although issues associated with 'quality of life' attributes and 'environmental friendliness' are likely what are keeping Australia's brand from making a return to the top 10.”
This year’s index once again goes beyond GDP, taking into account metrics such as Quality of Life, Value System and Heritage and Culture to inform the country brand rankings. As in previous years, it is clear a country’s global standing correlates to more than just GDP – 2020’s Ci revealed that perceived Quality of Life is the biggest driver of confidence in a country brand. This more nuanced index of global country brands therefore offers fresh insight into challenger country brands, which may yet be unclear from their economic standing.
The Ci draws on qualitative and quantitative data gathered from over 2,500 influential individuals, including chief executives, civil servants and other high-ranking professionals across the globe. Crucially, each individual surveyed by FutureBrand’s research partner QRi Consulting has travelled internationally in the last two years and has either visited or is familiar with the countries they rated.
Further headline findings include:
· The regional advance of the Middle East: the UAE has climbed 10 places since 2014’s index, with Qatar and Oman also improving their rankings. The region’s strongest metrics are Business Potential, Made In and Heritage and Culture.
· The regional advance of Africa: all countries in the region have improved their rankings, with Angola, Kenya and Algeria emerging as three of the top five risers globally. The region’s strongest metrics are Tourism, Made In and Heritage and Culture.
· New York held onto its spot as the most influential city in the next three years, followed by Beijing and Washington in 2nd and 3rd place. London and Tokyo rounded out the top five.
***End***
For interviews with Rich Curtis please contact:
Angela Cross, pilotPR
angela@pilotpr.com.au or 0412 929 397
For interviews, commentary, opinion pieces and imagery please contact TDC:
Alice Pickthorn
Senior Account Executive, TDC PR
futurebrand@tdcpr.com
+ 44 (0) 7967 550 463
About FutureBrand:
FutureBrand is the global brand transformation company. FutureBrand Group is part of the Interpublic Group and includes FutureBrand, UXUS and Hugo & Cat. Through branding skills and foresight, we help companies create the future for their brands and businesses.
Around the world, we combine strategic thinking and creative inspiration to help our clients create, build and manage brands. Whether branding a company, a product, a service or a movement we believe that great results can only be achieved through a combination of inspiration and collaboration.
We work in over 22 markets around the world with clients such as Merck, Nestlé, Danone, Zurich, American Airlines and Bentley Motors.
Methodology
For the Country Brand Index 2020, FutureBrand worked with QRi Consulting, its international research partner who has more than three decades of experience in brand strategy. As such, the research is generated from a globally informed audience of frequent flyers who evaluated the image and reputation of the World Bank’s top 75 countries by GDP.
Some 2,500 interviews were conducted with – among others – CEOs, C-suite, MDs and top-level civil servants from across the world, each of whom rated seven countries they were familiar with, making this report uniquely informed and invaluable.
Fieldwork took place between September 2 and September 11, 2020