On Tuesday, the NBI - Nation Brand Index and the BrandIL initiative released their annual 2024 ranking of national brands. The research, conducted during July–August 2024, surveyed 40,000 participants across 50 countries. This is the most comprehensive and up-to-date study conducted on Israel since the events of October 7. Notably, Israel ranked at the very bottom of the list, alongside some of the world's least developed nations, including Kenya, Egypt and Indonesia, placing it last among all surveyed nations.
The index evaluates 50 countries that represent either strong economies or nations central to the global agenda. Twenty of these countries collectively account for approximately 70% of the global population, including India, China, the United States, Russia, Brazil, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. The NBI ranking examines global public perceptions of the reputation and image of these countries. It has been conducted annually since its inception in 2005.
The rankings assess six dimensions of a nation’s "brand strength":
- Governance: Political stability, transparency and security.
- Culture: Cultural richness, including sports, arts and heritage.
- People and Society: Perceptions of the population’s industriousness and friendliness.
- Exports: Scientific progress, technological innovation and product quality.
- Immigration and Investment: Attractiveness for living, studying or investing.
- Tourism: Vibrant cities, architectural beauty, landscapes and general appeal as a travel destination.
For the first time, BrandIL, Israel’s national branding initiative, included Israel as a full participant in the NBI global index and secured access to all the research data collected for the ranked countries. This data has been made available to government entities, including the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Economy.
A misalignment between Israel's objective metrics and global perception
Israel’s grouping in the bottom ten of the rankings does not align with its objective metrics. Based on indicators such as GDP per capita, life expectancy and higher education levels, Israel should rank among the top 10 countries. However, it is instead categorized alongside nations with an average GDP per capita of just $11,000 – 80% lower than Israel’s. Similarly, in life expectancy, Israel is ranked alongside nations with an average life expectancy of 72 years (ranked 120th globally), compared to Israel’s 83 years, which places it among the top 20 globally.
Another troubling statistic is that only 40% of the countries ranked in the bottom 10 alongside Israel are democracies. This suggests that the world does not highly value Israel’s status as the only democracy in the Middle East.
Although the Palestinian entity is not officially recognized as a state, BrandIL requested for the first time that "Palestine" be included in the ranking, and it was placed below Israel. The index reveals that the Palestinian entity (comprising Hamas and the Palestinian Authority) is not perceived as a legitimate member of the international community, receiving extremely low scores in all key parameters. However, it does enjoy some support, particularly in the Muslim world, China and among younger generations.
Disconnect with the next generation
One of the most alarming threats highlighted by the index is Israel’s growing disconnect with Generation Z, the future leaders of the global community. Members of Generation Z express significant aversion toward Israel, ranking it at the bottom in nearly every parameter. This indicates that future global leaders may continue to boycott and ostracize Israel as part of the values they were raised with. Among adults over the age of 60, there is greater support for Israel, but this provides a bleak perspective as this demographic's global influence diminishes over time.
The study also reveals that the vast majority of respondents expressed no interest in purchasing products made in Israel. This reflects a de facto boycott of Israeli goods and companies operating under the Israeli flag, posing a significant threat to Israel’s exports and international business operations.
Despite Israel’s "Startup Nation" image, the study shows this narrative resonates primarily with Israelis themselves. Israel ranks low even when compared to countries not branded as technological leaders. The "Startup Nation" message is targeted at narrow audiences and fails to create a broader, impactful reputation for Israel as a technological innovator.
The global community seems unwilling to delve into the complexities of conflicts involving nations in intense warfare. Instead, it penalizes such countries, relegating them almost automatically to the bottom of the rankings. For example, Russia and Ukraine were ranked 46th and 47th, respectively, while Israel and the Palestinian Authority were ranked 49th and 50th.
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Countries involved in conflicts are perceived as risks to global stability and are punished without distinguishing between aggressor and victim. The sentiment reflected in the rankings aligns Israel more closely with forces of global chaos than with those contributing to global security and human advancement.
The researchers conclude that Israel's current branding strategy, which focuses on advocacy and convincing the world of its righteousness, has failed. Contrary to how Israelis perceive their country, the world views Israel as a nation that endangers global stability.
Call for a rebranding revolution
Strategic advisor Moti Sharf, founder of the BrandIL initiative, commented on the research results. "Israel has lost its status as a legitimate member of the international community and has been relegated to the ranks of the world’s most underdeveloped and toxic nations. The villa in the jungle risks becoming the jungle itself," he said."Despite this, there is room for optimism. Based on objective indicators, Israel deserves to rank among the top ten in the global Nation Brand Index, provided it undergoes a real and profound rebranding transformation."
In the coming weeks, the BrandIL initiative will present an innovative model developed with an international team specializing in nation branding. Among the initiative's proposed measures, in collaboration with government and business entities, is the establishment of a $100 million fund. This fund will serve as an independent and significant platform for improving Israel’s global standing. Many countries have adopted similar financial models and successfully transformed their global image.
The fund will operate as a "development finance institution" and will rely on combined funding sources: governmental, private and philanthropic. It will provide Israel with a broad impact infrastructure tailored to relevant target countries, focusing on investing in younger audiences. Additionally, it will open new markets for cutting-edge Israeli technologies and products.