Germany takes the cake, but Canada wins the silver medal.
A new Nations Brand Index report from Anholt Ipsos finds Germany ranks in first place out of 60 countries around the world. It’s the seventh time overall and fifth year in a row that Germany has taken top honours.
Germany was the highest ranked NBI nation in 2008, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, and now in 2021. With another first place ranking this year, Germany has now tied the United States’ record of seven years as the top NBI nation. Germany’s reputational strengths lie on the Exports, Immigration and Investment, Governance, and Culture categories. Global respondents feel particularly positive about buying German products, the appeal of investing in German businesses, the employability of German people, the German government’s work to fight poverty, and exceling in sports, placing Germany in the top-two in all five categories in 2021.
For the past couple of years, Canada has rounded out the top three, landing in third place. NBI 2021 is the first time that Canada has moved up to second place. First place rankings on the Governance, People, and Immigration and Investment indices, as well as relatively steady rankings on Exports, Tourism, and Culture contributed to Canada’s record ranking in 2021.
An enthusiastic Canadian at Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Third in this year’s report is Japan, which moved up from fourth last year.
Here’s the rest of the top ten, along with their ranking for last year in parentheses:
4. Italy (6)
5. UK (2)
6. France (5)
7. Switzerland (7)
8. USA (10)
9. Sweden (8)
10. Australia (9)
The United Kingdom’s reputation remains positive overall, even though its ranking fell from second to fifth in 2021. The United Kingdom’s reputational strengths are on Exports, Culture, and Immigration and Investment – largely driven by positive perceptions of the UK’s contributions to science and technology, its sports and contemporary culture, and strong educational qualifications. Conversely, the United Kingdom’s relative reputation weaknesses are on People and Governance – notably on the perceptions of the welcoming nature of its people and protecting the environment.
The United States had one of the most notable declines on overall NBI in 2020, dropping from sixth in 2019 to 10th. Its fall was triggered by sharp decreases on Governance, Tourism, and Immigration and Investment. A year later, despite the pandemic still being very much prevalent in the U.S., a wide political divide in society, and persistent vaccine hesitancy, the United States reputation has begun to rebound and improved on each of these categories.
Bologna is a great city for exploring on foot, with lovely covered arcades and some of Italy’s best food. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Japan and Italy are two nations in the top 10 with noteworthy improvements on the overall NBI rank. Japan makes its debut in the top three for the first time since 2018 and has climbed from fourth in 2020 to third this year with positive perceptions on Exports, Tourism, Culture, and People. Italy advances from sixth to fourth place with strong opinions on its Culture, Tourism, and People.
TRAVEL DESIRE AT A RECORD HIGH
he overall intensity in desire to visit countries around the world – if money was no object – has grown over time. A longitudinal analysis of 50 Nation Brands Index (NBI) countries between 2015 and 2020, and 60 measured nations in 2021, demonstrates how desire to travel declined between 2015-2016, increased between 2016-2018, only to decline again between 2018-2020. However, in 2021, levels of desire to visit have increased to its highest point.T
