Reinventing Brand America

Sometimes questions are so revealing. In a session in which Rupert Murdoch enjoyed riling...

Sometimes questions are so revealing. In a session in which Rupert Murdoch enjoyed riling his co-panellists with a robust defence of the US and its utility to the world, three Americans in the audience got up to put forth their queries that taken together reflect their country’s bewilderment at the hectoring it has been getting from the rest of the world in recent times.

European advertising gurus Maurice Levy and Martin Sorrell had just laid out their suggestions to the next US president on “rebuilding brand America” and the discussion had been opened to the floor. The three American questions. One: said the first, I am sick of you bashing America and then holding out your hand for aid. It is disgusting, said she. Two, said another, the kind of advice being given looks to me to be an eagerness for America to be back in the game. Three, is the disenchantment with brand America or brand Bush — hopefully, once he’s out of office, that perception will change.

If America is getting conflicting feedback from the world, the panelists appeared to enjoy the combat, even when two of them were in principle on the same side of the argument. Murdoch was unequivocal. “America needs to be less shy about what a great country it is,” he said. “The generosity of America is amazing.” For instance, the lack of recognition of what has been done in aid to Africa — official and philanthropic -— is “scandalous”.

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“It is very easy to overlook that for America world changed on 9/11,” he responded to criticism of its Iraq war and its aftermath. Bush, he said, is an inadequate communicator. Clinton was a good communicator, “but what did he achieve?” And, to calls for America to be more committed to multilateralism, he said: “The US does behave as a citizen of the world. Should it listen to the UN?” The UN, he said, is “a corrupt, ridiculous and dysfunctional place”.

Levy said that as for the citizen of the world the values have been traditionally that of America. No this equation has become a bit coloured by a few decisions of the last few years. Two, in a world facing so many problems America cannot stay away from climate change and the environment. Three, he urged America to be a little less lonely while making decisions.

Sorrell pointed to a survey of the popularity of Brand USA (that is, its political image) and of its corporate brands around the world from 1999 to 2006. Brand USA is well differentiated but it is not well liked — and in each country corporate brands are more popular.

Brand USA is now seen as being a bit arrogant, unapproachable, rugged, independent and kind. The adjectives it has moved away from include: charming, stylish, glamourous, friendly, caring.

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Sorrell suggested that the next president besides being surrounded by very strong people should be more engaged, committed to fighting poverty globally and respecting sustainability. The environment and global issues are, after all, good for brands.

Sorrell said the world’s perceptions may be difficult for America to accept but they do exist. It is the world’s largest economy at 12 trillion dollars and: “when you are brand leader you have certain responsibilities and rights”. Besides, he argued that these perceptions could be changed quite swiftly with a change in leadership.

Levy had an objection to the word brand: “As an advertising man, I hate to speak about a country as a brand and a product.” One can speak of its image. Marketing, he said, is very different the set of values a country has.

But it was once again a questioner, a German living in the US, who distilled an essential question from all this. His grandfather, he said, had been an American prisoner of war, yet he spoke well of the US. Would Iraqis imprisoned after the 2003 invasion feel the same?