The Anholt - GFK Roper Nation Brands Index(SM): 2012 Report for Scotland

1 Executive Summary

1.1 To "Improve Scotland's Reputation" is one of the indicators of the Scottish Government's National Performance Framework.^[1] Since 2008, the Scottish Government has used the Anholt-GfK Roper Nation Brands Index^SM (NBI^SM)^[2] to assess and monitor how Scotland's reputation is perceived around the world.

1.2 Conducted annually from 2008, the Anholt-GfK Roper Nation Brands Index^SM examines the image of 50 nations. Each year, approximately 20,000 adults aged 18 and up are interviewed in 20 core panel nations. The Anholt - GfK Roper Nation Brands Index^SM looks at a country's image by examining six dimensions of national competence: Exports, Governance, Culture, People, Tourism, and Investment and Immigration. This gives an overall indication of a country's reputation.

1.3 Scotland's score (60.1)^[3] and rank (15^th) on the index show that Scotland continues to have a strong reputation abroad. Scotland's reputation is stable in comparison to its 2010 performance in terms of the score (59.7)^[4] and rank (15^th in 2010). Scotland's reputation also remained stable since the indicator's baseline year (2008). In terms of the National Performance Framework this shows that Scotland's performance is "maintaining".

1.4 Scotland continues to score highly, placed in the Top 20 nations, and is scored and ranked similarly and often ahead of the other smaller, high income, liberal democracies on the index: Denmark, Finland, Ireland, and New Zealand.

1.5 In terms of relative rankings, Scotland's reputation has improved in five out of six dimensions of the index since 2010. Scotland's Governance and Tourism are seen as Scotland's strongest points. Exports remain to be perceived as its weakest point. Across all dimensions, with the exception of Exports, Scotland is ranked within the Top 20.