The third edition of Global Soft Power Index Brand Finance, released last week, billed itself as the world’s most comprehensive research study on pperceptions of the country brand or soft power of 120 countries. This last term was coined in the 1990s by an American political scientist Joseph Nye to refer to the ability of certain states to influencing events on the global stageusing cultural or ideological means rather than military or economic.

This index analyzes countries by 12 columns: familiar (knowledge of the country brand); influence; reputation; trade and business; government; international relations; Culture and heritage; media and communication; science and education; people and values; and response to Covid-19. Scores are awarded based on responses to a global survey of more than 100,000 people in 101 countries.

According to the Global Soft Power Index, The United States, with 70.7 points, will once again become the country with the highest soft power in the world by 2022. In the previous edition, which corresponds to 2021, it reached the sixth position behind Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada and Switzerland (in 2020 it also took the first position, but among a small sample of 60 countries).

Today, its return to the first position has been greatly benefited by strong growth in its influence (from position 21 to 6), government (from 20 to 8), and response to Covid-19 (from position 21 to 6). . 105 ° to 26 °). In international relations; Culture and heritage; communication and media; and science and education, although in 2021 it got good marks that earned it a spot in the top positions, in 2022 it also led these four pillars for the first time. The group of five countries with the most soft power this year was completed by the United Kingdom (64.9), Germany (64.6), China (64.2) and Japan (63.5).

About South Americathe latest edition of this Global Soft Power Index has been ratified leadership of brazil in terms of influence and soft power. By 2022 it has achieved 43.4 points and is the 28th position, which represents, compared to 2021, an increase of 7 positions and growth of 5.3 points.

Although Brazil does not show spectacular growth in any column as seen in the United States, it does show continued growth in familiarity (+0.7), influence (+0.1), government (+0.2) , trade and business (+0.2), international relations (+0.3), communications and media (+0.8), science and education (+0.6) and response to Covid-19 (+1.5).

In only two columns Brazil has fallen in relation to 2021: in culture and heritage (-0.5) and in people and values ​​(-0.2). Despite a slight decline in its cultural image, it remains Brazil’s strongest pillar: it ranks 9th in the world, with the same cultural and heritage influence as China and more than countries like Canada (10th ). , Switzerland (11th) or Australia (12th). All this, according to the Global Soft Power Index, because Brazil continues to be considered a leader in sports, an influential country in arts and entertainment, and has a particular and first-rate gastronomy.

If turned to the South American context, the supremacy of Brazilian soft power is proven by the fact that it led all the columns of this index, except Covid-19, where it got the 8th position. Finally, on a global level, Brazil got the same mark for its soft power as Austria (43.4) and surpassed India by two tenths (43.2).

Argentina is the second country with the largest soft power in South America. In relation to 2021, this year the country scored 38.5 points (2.4 more than last year) and rose three positions, reaching 38th. Where Argentina measures better is at familiarity, the pillar that measures the level of knowledge of a country and its brand in the world. In this column, Argentina grew 0.7 points annually and went from 26th to 22nd position, making it its best position in the entire index.

According to this standard, the Argentina has the same level of knowledge as the Netherlands and Sweden and this is more than other countries like Portugal, Israel or South Africa.

Argentina has also significantly improved in terms of response against Covid-19: in this column, from 2.6 points and 87th position in 2021, it became 3.7 points and 62nd position in 2022; and also in media and communication (+0.5) and science and education (+0.4). On the other hand, the country showed its most significant decline in people and value column, where it lost 0.5 points and fell 21 positions, from 32nd to 53rd.

This pillar measures the generosity, fun, friendship, trust and tolerance and togetherness that exists in each country. Worldwide, Argentine soft power is comparable to Iceland (38.6), Malaysia (38.5) or Poland (38.2)