10 Top Respected Country Brands in the World

Image is everything and successful branding is generally equated with dollars earned. The same can be said with country branding but it goes deeper than that. Countries brand themselves so that they will appeal to tourists, business, and immigrants while improving the lives of its people.

A strong country brand is more than the sum of its attributes: in total, it must make people’s lives better.

FutureBrand has ranked 113 countries in the latest Country Brand Index 2011 released  November 2011. The countries were measured on a variety of criteria including: investment opportunities, quality of life, value system, heritage, culture and tourism.  FurtureBrand compiled the list with the help of some “35,000 business and leisure travelers, 14 research markets, and 102 experts in 16 countries.”

Highlights of the top 10:
10) Italy ranked very high in categories like art, culture, food, and heritage.
9)   France scored high with awareness and familiarity and has the romantic branding market cornered with images of Paris at night, love, pastries, wine, runway haute couture, and the Eiffel Tower coming to mind.
8)   Finland rates high in standard of living, namely in education, healthcare and safety, and value system. It also ranked very well with being environmentally friendly and when it came to business.
7)   Sweden received top ratings when it came value system, meaning environmental friendliness, freedom of speech, tolerance, stable legal environment and political freedom. It did exceedingly well in categories like healthcare and education, and safety.
6)   United States of America scored its highest in business (namely advancements in technology), and tourism and even though they had very few stand out scores, the totals were high enough to place in the top ten.

Image courtey of futurebrand.com

5)   Australia is seen as both exotic and familiar as they speak English and one can enjoy many creature comforts. Quality of life and value system were where it rated best.
4)   Japan ranked best in business and tourism as the country is seen as traditional, but not conservative and stands apart from other Asian countries.
3)   New Zealand is probably best known for being the backdrop to the Lord of the Rings franchise and it received its highest score in natural beauty. However, the country is moving beyond its natural resources and is building on its service industry. It is perceived as having a great value system.
2)   Switzerland is seen as a consistent brand and it performed well in every category. The country is seen as good for business, having a high quality of life and a great value system.
1)   Canada is the true north strong and free sitting proudly atop the list for the second straight year. The mosaic of Canada, as Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau called the country, is valued highly. A welcoming immigration policy, stable political system and economy, not to mention a tolerant society have earned Canada top marks. Canada is esteemed for its high quality of life, being good for business and having a good value system.

As Canadians we are thrilled that our country is being recognized for all that it is and represents. Hopefully, this ranking will improve the perception of Canada as a brand and bring it past the image of polite, toque-wearing, beer-drinking hockey lovers who live in igloos with moose as pets, eh?

The full report on the highs and lows of all 113 countries reported is worth reviewing.
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