23 julho 2003

ECO-TERROR
U.S. Brands on the Run: A new global poll offers the first strong evidence that consumers who have turned on America are now turning on American companies, too. Is it the end of an era? [...]
In an annual survey conducted since 1998, RoperASW has been looking for a connection between the dwindling reputation of America and the worldwide appeal of its top brands, from Disney to Microsoft. It had found no such link until this year, when a survey of 30,000 consumers in 30 major economies found that those who felt an increasing alienation from American culture were also likely to report a growing disinclination to eat at McDonald’s, or to buy Nike shoes. Most startling, 11 of the top 12 American multinationals saw falling or stagnant scores for “brand power,” a measure of how well they are known and liked, while nine of the top 12 European and Asian multinationals saw their scores rise. “It’s an early warning sign,” says RoperASW managing director Tom Miller. “We’re seeing a shift in the balance of brand power.”