North America
This is another region in which we’re throwing the spotlight on just two countries. In this case, it’s Canada and the United States, and again the perceptions of these countries close to home are rather different to the global perspective.
The US ranks one position higher than Canada among a global audience, and though they are closely ranked, they each achieve their high placings due to very different factors: for the US, its perceptions of Power, Cultural Influence and Agility (the US ranks first in the world on Power and Agility, second for being Entrepreneurial, after Germany, and third in the world for Cultural Influence).
Canada is also seen as entrepreneurial (sixth in the world in the global ranking) but really shines on a range of very different measures to the US; a global audience sees Canada as a place with a strong Social Purpose offering a great quality of life.
While Brand USA has many strengths, there are also aspects of it that can be viewed as controversial or less appealing. Regardless of a consumer’s stance on America’s economic and political policies, though, the USA’s true strength lies in its cultural influence, and this reflects positively on US brands.
Best Countries Origin Index data shows that ‘Made in America’ is the fourth-most appealing for products of any kind among a global audience. In certain categories, such as tech, spirits, and pharma, brands from the USA rank even higher. This reflects the interplay between brand and country associations; influential USA brands have come to epitomise the American lifestyle and innovation, and vice versa.
American tech and entertainment brands are among the strongest globally, often surpassing local brand options in the eyes of global consumers. According to our global brand study, BAV®, Apple is one of the most desired brands across 28 countries, preferred by 65% of the world’s population. American entertainment brands like Disney and Netflix not only have global appeal but also provide a glimpse into American culture. Approximately 63% of our surveyed global audience regularly or occasionally use these platforms, with over 70% reporting some use of Facebook.
Brands from our North American neighbours, such as Canada’s Lululemon and Cirque du Soleil, also hold significant power. Mexico’s Corona brand is globally recognised for its portrayal of a universally appealing tranquil experience, ranking among the top authentic, trendy, and cool brands in the world. Ultimately, despite diverse opinions on some aspects of the countries themselves, there seems to be universal alignment on the ideals and lifestyles often portrayed by American brands.
Michael Sussman
Chief Product Officer & Lead Consumer Psychologist
Among respondents who actually live in North America, Canada is seen more favourably and the US less so. North Americans see Canada as more Entrepreneurial than the global audience does, and as being the most Agile country in the world. It’s also considered to be the world’s friendliest country.
Perceptions of the US among North Americans are let down by a poor score on our Movers metric, which covers dynamism and uniqueness. North Americans also rate the US poorly on our measure ‘has a favourable tax environment’.
North Americans see the US as being much more Open for Business than the rest of the world does, and racial equality is seen as a problem for the US globally but less so locally. They also see the US as a more friendly, happier place than people outside the region do.
Canada, meanwhile, has an opportunity to build on perceptions locally that the country has great food – an opinion not widely shared by a global audience – as well as on the regional belief that it has many cultural attractions.
