The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been recognised as the forerunner among tomorrow's leading country brands in a major global study. 

 

In its inaugural Future Fifteen Country Brand Index (CBI), FutureBrand, a leading global brand consultancy, 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. 

 

The Future Fifteen is a ranking of 15 country brands on course to transform the global landscape economically, politically and culturally in years to come. 

 

Despite positive momentum in the region, the CBI also notes the UAE's impending obstacles, including the tremendous challenge of fair wealth distribution, the study said. 

 

Meanwhile, Switzerland topped FutureBrand's 8th annual ranking of the world's leading country brands, the 2012-13 CBI. It moved up two places from the previous study.

 

In keeping with past year's studies, the 2012-13 CBI ranks the world's countries – from their cultures, to their industries, to their economic vitality and public policy initiatives – based on global perceptions today. 

 

Drawing insights from a collective of 3,600 opinion-formers and frequent international travellers from 18 countries, FutureBrand utilised its proprietary Hierarchal Decision Model (HDM) to determine how key audiences – residents, investors, tourists and foreign governments – see the world's country brands, from awareness through to advocacy, a statement said. 

 

The top 10 country brands of 2012-13 include: 1. Switzerland (+1 from 2012); 2. Canada (-1); 3. Japan (+1); 4. Sweden (+3); 5. New Zealand (-2); 6. Australia (-1); 7. Germany (+4); 8. United States (-2); 9. Finland (-1) and 10. Norway (+2).

 

The UAE, ranked 23 globally, topped the Middle East region in the index, moving two places up from last year in the survey.

 

The 15 Future Forward country brands are: 1. United Arab Emirates; 2. Chile; 3. Malaysia; 4. Qatar; 5. Estonia; 6. China; 7. Iceland; 8. Mexico; 9. Brazil; 10. Turkey; 11. Thailand; 12. Colombia; 13. India; 14. Kazakhstan and 15. Vietnam. 

 

Future Drivers

 

To develop the Future Fifteen, FutureBrand collaborated with a global panel of experts across public policy-, business- and media–related disciplines to identify the driving forces behind consumers' country-based decisions and perceptions. A forward-focused evolution of the CBI's existing dimensions, these Future Drivers of brand strength emphasize six core determinants of a country's prospective leadership, including: 

* 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, the statement said.  - TradeArabia News Service