On March 2, the Global Soft Power Index was released at a live event in London. Now in its fourth iteration, the index, which is produced by the consultancy Brand Finance, encompasses the standing of 121 nation brands and offers valuable pre- and post-pandemic comparisons. The index’s central question is: how attractive are countries to international audiences? And which Asian powers stand out?
The index combines three subjective elements – familiarity, influence, and reputation, as judged by more than 100,000 respondents across the world – with a more objective evaluation of performance according to eight “soft power pillars.” These are Business & Trade, Governance, International Relations, Culture & Heritage, Media & Communication, Education & Science, People & Values, and Sustainable Future. In total, 40 different metrics are used to rank each country’s international appeal.
The podium is occupied by three Western powers: the United States, followed by the United Kingdom and Germany. This is unchanged from last year. Japan occupies the fourth spot, narrowly surpassing China, which now comes in fifth. The top ten is then rounded out by France, Canada, Switzerland, Italy, and a notable new entry at the top, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which climbed five spots compared with last year. This was due to its capable handling of the pandemic paired with robust and attractive opportunities for investment and a proven capability to innovate.
Russia has experienced a notable drop instead, falling from ninth to 13th place, while being the only country to record a drop in soft power in absolute terms. Conversely, the largest gain was seen by Ukraine, both in relative and absolute terms, which climbed thirteen spots to 37th. Russia’s reputation fell considerably while familiarity (and sympathy) with Ukraine grew exponentially across the world due to the extensive coverage of the country’s travails since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
