Nation Branding architects face great adversity in getting the ball rolling and even more so as they fight an uphill battle. It is our hope that this guide will be used as a supportive reference for brand builders throughout the long and arduous process of strategizing a resilient nation brand.

Instead of collaborating together, the smaller municipalities tend to interpret the city of Utrecht as an authority. In order to make a change on the international playing field, the local marketing teams need to team up and form a strong alliance and form a cohesive design identity for the region.

During this time of global crisis and uncertainty, Simpleview put the call out to industry thought leaders around the world to sit down and tell them, in their own words, what is going on and what is going to happen next in this vital global industry. Here's what they found...

What does digital transformation actually look like in the destination marketing and investment promotion space? Emma Håkansson, Head of Destination Development for the City of Helsingborg, Sweden, explained how they transitioned from tourist information centres to a digital-first approach.

COVID-19 has accelerated the need for robust digital transformation, and investment promotion agencies around the world have been re-evaluating their strategies to ensure they’re still able to reach their investors – even if they’re still halfway around the world. We reached out to Muhammad Azmi Zulkifli, CEO at Invest Kuala Lumpur, to understand how the digital strategies they’d implemented have continued to adapt and evolve to meet the needs of this new pandemic world.

As we move from lockdowns into what comes next, travellers have different behaviours and priorities than before. New behaviour poses brand new questions, and with no playbook, we must learn to adapt along the way

Between Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic, how are international perceptions of Great Britain faring? We spoke with Dan Ramsay, the new director of the GREAT Britain campaign, to discover what the future is for the GREAT brand platform and what the key is to the campaign’s longevity.

Globally, FDI inflows are expected to decrease up to 40% according to the UN and competition is fierce as places look to shore up shaken economies and the pressure on governments to create employment increases. Now more than ever, investment destinations need to stand out.

Is collaboration the key to recovery, and in the even longer-term, to being a good global citizen? We spoke to Ivan Eskildsen, Minister of Tourism for Panama, to understand how their new strategy connects tourism with conservation and how Panama is planning to work with their neighbours to create a cohesive cultural heritage strategy.

To put it simply, if a country wants to do well, it must do good. Simon Anholt, founder of the Good Country Index, shares his thoughts on how nations can make a real impact on the global stage and create genuine, lasting positive perceptions.

Metal isn’t a subculture in Finland; it’s mainstream, and Finland's goal was to provide the metal community with a way to engage in discussion with the global audience. The metal community is about inclusivity, and fosters a spirit of togetherness, mirroring the aspects of Finnish society that they wanted to showcase.

We’re facing one of the greatest global health challenges of the last one hundred years – but how can we promote social and mental wellbeing during a year of uncertainty? We spoke to Dana Young, CEO and President at Visit Florida, to understand how lessons learned from their continued fight for survival allowed the organisation not only to thrive during the pandemic, but to support the wellbeing of their employees throughout the stress of the last six months.

Pittsburgh is revolutionising their talent attraction strategy – and having the hard conversations about racism and inequality. Alison Treaster, Senior Director of Talent, at the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, shared how the Pittsburgh Passport initiative is connecting to talented individuals around the world and helping the region move towards a more equitable future.

With our economic future uncertain, many DMOs and EDOs will be tightening their belts right about now. We’ve spoken before about the importance of continuing to advertise during a crisis, but when every dollar matters, ensuring that you maximise the return on that dollar’s investment is crucial.

In many ways, cities are living, breathing entities – and they’re evolving just as we are. We reached out to Jonathan Woetzel, Director of the McKinsey Global Institute, to understand how the crises of the 21^st century are shaping the development of our cities.