First Edition Anholt State Brands Index:
World Names the Home of Baywatch its Favourite U.S. State

California is number one State brand internationally, Texans voted the most unfriendly and New Jersey the worst overall

London, 19th September 2006 – A new international study suggests that the image of individual U.S. States is stronger and more positive than the USA overall. The new Anholt State Brands Index (SBI), created by government advisor Simon Anholt and powered by global market intelligence solutions provider GMI (Global Market Insite, Inc.), is an annual survey on how the world perceives the 50 U.S. States. Among the survey’s many findings is that Britons and non- Americans generally think Texas is the most unfriendly state, below even New York – a result that suggests the negative effects of associations with an internationally unpopular Texan U.S. president George Bush, and the bad global reputation of the oil industry.

More than 21,000 people in 16 countries including the UK were surveyed about their familiarity with each U.S. state, including their perceptions of its physical environment, economical and educational opportunities; the vibrancy of its culture and lifestyle; its citizens and the general amenities such as housing, schools and transportation. The SBI uses this data to provide an overall ranking of the favourite state, as well as individual rankings. California is ranked by non-Americans as the top U.S. state brand, whilst New Jersey is at the bottom of the Index. Florida is the number two state brand with international consumers and number three with Americans. Overall, there are a myriad of these findings including the rating of Iowa as the most boring state and New Mexico, New York and Kentucky as the best places for food.

The survey indicates that some U.S. states are world-famous by accident. For instance, panellists from the UK perceive the state of New York as the least safe, despite its efforts to clean up its image and bring down crime rates. Similarly, New Jersey and New York are voted as the dirtiest and most polluted states, even when the question relates to the most rural areas in the States.

The Anholt State Brands Index also suggests that the individual State brands are more favourable to respondents than the brand of the U.S. as a whole. In the Nation Brands Index launched by Simon Anholt in 2005, the USA has scored relatively low ranking of 12th overall. This could be due to negativity around the U.S. foreign policy, which gives the overall U.S. brand a hostile image.

California is the American State with the most distinctive and powerful identity. California’s upbeat association with beaches, surfing and Hollywood demonstrates the enormous business advantage a positive reputation can have in an increasingly borderless world.

Commenting on the survey, SBI creator Simon Anholt said: “When people consider the American States, they are often thinking in quite practical terms, concentrating on such issues as climate, pollution, the cost of living, law and order and the cultural life of the cities and the countryside. But what drives their behaviour is their perceptions of these factors, which, as this survey dramatically illustrates, frequently do not respond to reality at all. Whilst Brand America has slipped in value in recent years, this new survey suggests how some individual States who make up the Union have very healthy, positive brand value that is greater than the USA overall”.

About the Anholt State Brands Index

The survey behind the Anholt State Brands Index (SBI) was conducted between May 25 and June 12, 2006 on the GMIPoll platform (www.gmipoll.com), which provides integrated solutions for global market intelligence. A representative sample based on age, gender, and where applicable, geographic region, race, and ethnicity, was collected in the United States (9,000 completes) and the top 15 inbound tourism markets (12,410 completes) for a total of 21,410 completes. For further information about the Anholt State Brands Index methodology, please contact GMI at http://www.gmi-mr.com/contact/ or visit www.statebrandsindex.com to download the SBI executive summary.

About Simon Anholt

Anholt developed the concept of the Nation Brands Index in 2005. The first Index was published in May 2005. He is recognized as one of the world’s leading authorities on the branding of countries, regions and cities. Anholt advises a number of national governments and United Nations agencies on brand strategy, public diplomacy, cultural relations, investment and export promotion, tourism and economic development. He is the editor of the quarterly journal, Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, and the author of Brand New Justice, Brand America and several other books. Anholt’s next book Competitive Identity - the New Brand Management for Nations, Cities and Regions will be published by Palgrave Macmillan in September 2006.

About GMI

GMI (Global Market Insite, Inc.) is the only company that provides comprehensive integrated solutions for global market intelligence for both market research firms and corporate market research departments at Global 2000 companies. Solutions include Net-MR, a suite of software tools to manage and automate research throughout the project lifecycle, desktop analysis tools, 24/7 service bureau capabilities, and one of the world’s largest, highly profiled, double opt-in managed panels, spanning across 200 countries. In addition, GMI offers high-value, real-time enterprise feedback solutions for customer, partner and employee programs. Founded in 1999 with world headquarters in Seattle, Wash., GMI has operations on five continents. More information is available at www.gmi-mr.com or email us at http://www.gmi-mr.com/contact/.

Media Contacts:

Helen Ablett / Carolyn Pignoly
GBC
Tel: +44 (0) 208 322 1922
helena@gbc.co.uk / carolynp@gbc.co.uk