Episodes
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The Verdict? The Nation Brands Index 2022 and Russia's fall from grace.
In this season finale Simon and Nick discuss the recently published findings of the 2022 version of the Anholt-Ipsos Nation Brands Index. The most noticeable result is that Russia has fallen from 27th place in 2021 to 58th, a dive unlike any other in the history of the index reflecting the...
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Africa on the move? The Prospects for a Better Image.
In this episode Nick and Simon discuss the shifting image of Africa, taking a lead from the latest version of the Anholt-Ipsos Nation Brands Index. Countries discussed include Egypt and Morocco, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and Botswana. Simon argues that external knowledge of culture is the key...
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Episode 46: Small is Beautiful? Subnational places and image promotion
This episode looks at the smaller units of international image—regions and cities—and how they fare in comparison to national images. Issues discussed include whether they help or hurt a national image and whether the promotion of smaller places is worthwhile. Simon starts out noting that some...
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Episode 45: Bridging the Gulf: Reputation and the Gulf States
This episode considers the reputation of the Gulf and its most prominent actors including not only the nation states like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE but city state actors like Dubai. First, Simon makes the case that the Gulf is a case of a region's pre-existing negative image dominating…
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Episode 44: Weighing Image Strategies for Low-Income Countries
This episode considers the utility of place branding and soft power strategies for countries least developed in these areas. The conversation begins by separating the value of a focused tourism promotion campaign from more general promotion strategies. Simon notes that even a successful tourism...
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Episode 43: Britain in Transition: the UK's image and the New King and Prime Minister
This episode considers the image of Great Britain as the country mourns the loss of Queen Elizabeth II and simultaneously adapts to a new Prime Minister—Liz Truss—and a new king: Charles III. The discussion begins with Simon recalling the brand equity derived from having a Royal Family, which he...
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Episode 42: All About Me? National Images and Personal Identity
This episode probes the connection between personal identity and national image, considering Simon's past contention that national image is an extension of the sense of self. Nick agrees and suggests that the connection helps to explain why people feel so strongly about slights to a nation's...
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Episode 41: Future Perfect: Visions of progress and country image
This episode considers one of the problems of international relations today: the absence of the kind of compelling visions of the future that inspired international cooperation in the past. Nick argues that countries need a vision for stability and are finding that in distorted idea of the past...
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Episode 40: Nations and Truth: International Reputation an the age of Disinformation
This episode considers the implications of the rise of state-sponsored fake news and disinformation for international images. Simon takes the line that the exaggerations of nation branding are on a continuum with all-out lies of malicious propaganda. He calls for better research on public…
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Episode 39: Italy: Rising or Falling?
Today's episode considers Italy, hailed by The Economist in December 2021 for its improvement but in the news in the summer of 2022 for political problems. Simon and Nick dissect elements of Italy's reputation noting both the advantages and pitfalls of its long significance in the cultural field....
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Episode 38: Of Greenwashing and 'Hipster Nations'
This episode looks at the role of environmental policy as a component of international image and the question of whether countries are following corporations and ‘greenwashing’: laying claim to environmental reputations that they don’t deserve. Cases discussed include Australia, the US and the...
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Episode 37: For the Love of Mexico
In this episode Simon and Nick discuss the reputation of Mexico and the reasons for its relatively poor showing in the Nation Brands Index. They consider Mexican government strategies including the tendency to pay disproportionate attention to US opinion. Conversely Simon and Nick agree that the...
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Episode 36: The Power of Language
This episode considers the power implicit in the popularity or otherwise of particular languages on the world stage, beginning with the question of whether the Nation Brands Index is accurate in showing the admiration of English-speaking countries. Simon and Nick not the counter examples of…
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Episode 35: Northern Ireland peace and the challenge of 'relevance'
In this episode Nick and Simon respond to a listener's question about the impact of a potential collapse of the Northern Ireland peace agreement on the image of the UK. After discussing this question, the conversation broadens to include the difference between issues of elite relevance and issues...
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Episode 34: The Power of “From”: The Country-of-Origin Effect
This episode revisits a key concept in the study of international image: the ‘country-of-origin effect’ by which countries can enhance the value of products made there and vice versa. Simon notes that an estimated 1/3 of all value in the world is locked in brand value and the desire of some...
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Episode 33: What’s in a Name? Renaming places as a Strategic Gambit
Inspired by media reports of the Turkish government attempting to assert the Turkish spelling of their name, this episode considers strategies of naming/renaming/spelling. Turkey’s move is discussed in the context of its history. Simon suggests four categories of renaming: the post-colonial shift...
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Episode 32: Reckoning with the Pandemic: COVID 19, image, media and communication
This episode takes an overall view of COVID 19 and its impact on reputation. Simon points out that the damage to reputations was only slight as most people really aren’t interested in the internal affairs of other places. Image seems to be following expectations. People assume that Sweden managed...
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Episode 31: Honest to God: The image of Religions and other Transnational Groups
In this episode Nick and Simon think about the reputation of transnational ideas and organizations, starting with religions. Nick recalls regimes which have actively asserted a religious affiliation. Simon notes that today most western countries seek to distance themselves from a religious…
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Episode 30: Issues in the Index: The Nation Brands Index 2021
This episode considers the results of the Nation Brands Index for 2021. Issues include the limited post-Trump recovery of the US image, the declining image of Britain and improving image of Canada. Simon discussed the arrival of Iceland in the index and continued rise South Korea. This year's NBI...
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Episode 29: Meet the Goodest: The Good Country Index for 2022
In the episode Simon introduces the fifth iteration of the Good Country Index (index.goodcountry.org/) now published in partnership with Diplomatic Courier. He explains the nature of the index as an aggregation of contributions to the global good. Nick pulls out particular countries for scrutiny...
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Episode 28: War in Ukraine
In this season 2 opener Simon and Nick consider the implications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine for issues of international image. Simon argues that the crisis has revealed the degree of interconnection associated with advanced globalization as revealed by the almost instant pressure on...
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Episode 27: Afghanistan
In this final episode of the season Simon and Nick consider the implications of recent developments in Afghanistan for our understanding of international image. Issues include the role of branding in the initial policy missteps towards Afghanistan in the 1990s and the prospects for a positive…
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Episode 26: Israel: Branded by Conflict?
This episode considers the image of Israel which, as Simon notes, was one of the worst when included in the Nation Brands Index. The heart of the problem seems to be the power of a conflict to taint the image of all combatants whatever its inherent rights and wrongs. Nick notes a string of...
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Episode 25: The Media: Friends or Foes of Country Image?
This episode focuses on the attitude of the mass media to the issue of national brands, international images and public diplomacy. Simon laments the enduring focus on the superficial message of rankings. Nick ponders the role of media as a component of national image in their own right and the...
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Episode 24: Nordics: The Saga of Success?
This episode probes arguably the most successful cluster of national reputations the Nordic region, performing at the top of both the nation brands and good country indices. Issues include the question of how the positive reputation benefits Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland and the historical...
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Episode 23: Trust: The Linchpin of Reputation
This episode examines the crucial category of trust in communication and reputation with especial reference to the findings of the Edelman Trust Barometer for 2021 [https://www.edelman.com/trust/2021-trust-barometer]. The findings of this survey are alarming, being summarized as 'information...
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Episode 22: Systems and Structures: Organizing Public Diplomacy
This episode considers the best way to structure and coordinate the elements within a nation's bureaucracy responsible for public diplomacy. It looks at best practices and common shortcomings. Simon and Nick agree that fitness for purpose seems to be the last things considered in setting up...
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Episode 21: France: Trouble at the Top?
This episode looks at one of the strongest soft power images: that of France, noting that it has displayed a downward adjustment at the top of the Nation Brands Index in recent years. Simon considers the strengths and weaknesses of the French image, with governance and people showing up as...
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Episode 20: The Tallent Trade: Who's Looking for Einstein?
This episode develops issues raised in the discussion of migration to examine how reputation connects to the process of a nation attracting the most highly skilled people. Simon and Nick consider which countries do this particularly well -- acknowledging the special place of the United States.…
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Episode 19: Public Diplomacy and Place Branding
This episode considers how two core concepts of this field fit together: public diplomacy and place branding. Nick sees PD as the overall concept and place branding as one of the tools; Simon sees place branding as the overall approach and PD as just one aspect of a country's image. They find...
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Episode 18: Scotland's Next Step
This episode takes the case of Scotland as a point of entry into the issue of smaller countries or regions seeking independence. It probes the image of Scotland as measured by the nation brands index and looks at the reputational strengths it already enjoys. Simon notes that Scotland is rated…
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Episode 17: Japan at the Crossroads
This episode examines the image of Japan: consistently admired in the Nation Brands Index (#4 in 2020) but apparently out of step with the behaviors that bring strength in the Good Country index (#26 in 2020). Simon and Nick look at some of Japan's strategies to maintain a global presence such as...
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Episode 16: Digital Disruption: New Technology and the Balance of Soft Power.
This episode considers the impact of digital and social media on the world of international reputation and soft power. Simon and Nick consider the association between populism and social media and ask whether diplomacy has become harder in a digital world. They look at countries which have sought...
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Episode 15: Oh, Canada!
This episode probes the realities behind the excellent image of Canada and finds some worrying trends including a tendency for the image to be inversely linked to that of the US, to be based on behavior from the past, and to exaggerate strengths in areas where the country could do more. Simon...
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Episode 14: Populism: Cheering All the Way to Failure?
This episode examines the implications of populism around the world for the international community at a time when problems require collaborative solutions. Simon considers evidence that conservatism is the dominant feeling in the world by a factor of 80 to 20 and why this might be, and recalls...
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Episode 13: The Bad Image
This episode considers what a country can do when its image goes bad. Simon and Nick look at countries with excellent stories to tell but located in regions associated with difficulty such as Chile in Latin America or Botswana in Southern Africa. They consider the difficulties facing newly...
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Episode 12: Credible India?
This episode examines India through the lens of its recent performance in the Nation Brands Index and Good Country Index. The discussion focuses on recent slippage in Indian's image set against underlying strength of India's global contributions in culture, industry, and politics. Simon and Nick...
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Episode 11: Migration Nations
The episode probes the challenge of migration for the image and reality of nation states. Issues include treatment of migrants as a component of a 'good' image, with special note of the disproportionate role taken by Turkey and Jordan. Simon muses that the Swedish far right may be negatively...
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Episode 10: Can Individuals Make a Difference?
This episode considers whether a single well-known individual can significantly enhance the image of an entire nation state. Moving beyond politicians and leaders the conversation focuses on the impact of artists and celebrities, and the tendency for all abstract identities to be personified.…
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Episode 9: Culture: Decorative or Useful?
This episode probes one of the core elements of national image and reputation -- culture -- and asks how a nation state can best incorporate it into its foreign policy. Cases include countries with magnificent cultures but weak images such as Iran and countries whose cultures are admirable but...
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Episode 8: Germany: From Pariah to Paragon
This episode examines the strongest brand of the present moment: Germany. Issues include things that Germany did well during its hosting of the FIFA World Cup; the deep history of Germany's positive brand (being foundations of a positive reality) and Germany's successful engagement of darker…
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Episode 7: Mega Events? Buyer Beware
This episode considers the role of mega events like the Olympics, Expos, and men's FIFA World Cup in helping or hurting international reputation. Examples include the damage done by hosting to the images of South Africa and Brazil and the positive benefits enjoyed by Spain and South Korea. The...
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Episode 6: Cities and International Image
This episode probes cities as components of national brands and as brands themselves. Simon unpacks his idea of the brand. Issues include the relative volatility of city image, the absence of some of the countries with strong brands from the top of the City Brands Index, the potential for city...
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Episode 5: What Price Monarchy?
This episode examines the role of monarchy in international reputation. Simon recalls the equity added to Britain by the Duchess of Cambridge. Nick is brought round to seeing monarchy as lifting a country above short-term politics. Issues include regional approaches to monarchy and the need for...
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Episode 4: The European Union
This episode considers the image of the European Union asking where it would stand if it were examined as a single brand. Issues include the strengths and weaknesses of its reputation; possible approaches to its troubled relationships with the former-East Bloc countries and demonizing of the EU…
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Episode 3: In Search of the Good Leader
This episode probes the role of leadership in national reputation and asks what Good Leadership looks like in the era of COVID. Cases include Jacinda Ardern's impressive tenure in New Zealand and the dramatically mixed performance of Abiy Ahmed, Nobel Peace Prize winner and prime minister of...
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Episode 2: Brexit Britain
This episode examines the predicament of Britain following its departure from the European Union. Issues include the absence of a BREXIT dip in key polls and Britain's Soft Power strategy for retaining its global position.
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Episode 1: Biden's America
This episode considers the challenge facing Joe Biden as he looks to rebuild the damaged international reputation of the United States following social upheaval and the controversies of the Trump years. Issues include discussion of exactly how damaged US standing really is and the element of…
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