Countries regularly seek to reposition themselves on the global stage, improve perceptions, or attract specific audiences – be it tourists, investors, students, or talent. But how do we know if those efforts are working? What proof points guide ongoing strategy, justify investment, or align various stakeholders?
The answer lies in data – specifically in Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that evaluate perceptions of a country. For decision-makers, KPIs are the bridge between aspirational Nation Branding and actionable strategic management. Perceptions are intangible, but they do have tangible measurable impact on place economy.
In this article, we explore how Nation Branding efforts can be converted into economic results, what frameworks best support evaluation, and how to develop a smart, context-specific KPI model.
What are KPIs in Nation Branding?
A KPI (Key Performance Indicator) is a selected metric that signals a meaningful, strategic change in performance. Nation Branding KPIs differ from Nation Marketing KPIs: while the former focuses on shifts in perception, the latter measures more tactical outcomes such as increases in visitor numbers or foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows.
Setting KPIs using qualitative indicators – such as stakeholder satisfaction or changes in sentiment among talent – can be equally critical, especially when grounded in rigorous data collection and analysis. At Bloom Consulting, our data-driven approach to Nation Branding acknowledges the diversity of perception elements and the necessity of triangulating information from multiple sources, including both quantitative and qualitative data, secondary data from rankings and indexes, and Digital Identity data.
Perceptions are measured on a scale from 0 to 5:
- 0 = Extremely Negative
- 1 = Negative
- 2 = Moderately Negative
- 3 = Moderately Positive
- 4 = Positive
- 5 = Extremely Positive
On average, a favorable perception begins at a score of 3.5 or higher. As previously mentioned, defining Nation Branding KPIs is challenging due to the intangible nature of perceptions. Therefore, KPIs alone are not sufficient for policymakers to decide whether to embark on a Nation Branding initiative – or to convince stakeholders and citizens of the need to address perception issues.
To address this, we conducted a study in collaboration with City Nation Place, under the guidance of an Advisory Board for Scientific Supervision comprising experts from Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, and Universidad de Salamanca. Over 100 countries and cities participated in this groundbreaking study, which demonstrates a direct correlation between changes in perception and shifts in economic performance.
Grounding KPIs in Perception Research
As demonstrated by the study, a positive Nation Brand correlates with increased flows of investment, trade, and talent. KPIs not only track perceptions – they also link them to measurable impacts, offering a robust justification for ongoing investment in Nation Branding efforts.
The study highlighted perception as a key driver of tourism revenues, FDI inflows, and talent attraction.
Figure: The Impact of Nation and Place Brands on the Local and Global Economy
But what does this mean for national economies? The study proved the correlation between general perceptions – gathered via an ad hoc survey – and hard data such as tourism receipts, FDI, and talent flows. For example, if we establish a KPI to improve perception by 0.5 points, we can reasonably expect international tourism receipts to increase as well. This provides a consistent and reliable framework for setting Nation Branding KPIs directly linked to a country’s economic performance.
Connecting KPIs to strategic branding goals
However, KPIs for Nation Branding must be aligned with the long-term vision and Central Idea of the brand. In this sense, economic impacts should be tied to strategic perceptions, strategic branding goals, for example, those that are less recognized by international audiences but represent untapped potential or emerging national assets.
These strategic perceptions can be identified using the Bloom Consulting Nation Brand Taxonomy Model©. The model helps determine which perception areas are under-leveraged yet aligned with a country’s unique strengths and future ambitions.
Moving from vision to KPI is not a linear process – it requires iteration, stakeholder collaboration, and a solid analytical foundation. But the benefits are clear: KPIs create a shared language, reduce ambiguity, and inform decision-making. More importantly, they enable countries to evolve without losing sight of their long-term strategic objectives.
Cite article: Bloom Consulting (2025): From vision to KPI: a data framework for strategic Nation Branding. Bloom Consulting Journal, 12 November. Available at: https://www.bloom-consulting.com/journal/from-vision-to-kpi-a-data-framework-for-strategic-nation-branding/
