Poll Reveals Dismal State of the Mexico Brand in the U.S.
Led by conservatives, Americans overwhelmingly see
Mexico as a source of problems for
the U.S.
Results offer context for meeting next week between Obama
and Mexico's
President-elect
AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A
first-of-its-kind study, the results of which were released today,
underscores the troubled state of the Mexico brand in the U.S. and
points to drug violence as the overwhelming driver of those
impressions.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121120/DC17149)
The national survey, conducted last month among 1,000 U.S.
adults via YouGov and jointly released today by strategy
consultancy Vianovo and leading advertising agency GSD&M,
reveals that half of all Americans have an unfavorable opinion of
Mexico, only 17% view its economy
as modern, and more than 7 in 10 believe it is unsafe for
travel.
The negative views of Mexico
appear to be almost exclusively driven by drug-related violence,
with 72% citing it as the main reason for their opinion. Asked to
give three words that come to mind when they think about
Mexico, almost half of respondents
mentioned "drugs" as one of their top-of-mind associations. The
resulting word cloud is a dramatic illustration of how the
drug war has affected Americans' attitudes toward Mexico.
"President-elect Enrique Pena
Nieto inherits a Mexico
whose image has been battered by the drug violence," said
James Taylor, founding partner at
Vianovo. "But with a growing middle class and strong GDP growth,
Pena Nieto has an opportunity to
expand the focus of the relationship beyond security to include
immigration, trade and economic issues —to the benefit of both
nations."
Given these results, it's not surprising that 59% of Americans
see Mexico more as a source of
problems for the U.S., compared to only 14% who say the country is
a good partner and neighbor. This result is especially lopsided
among self-identified conservatives, with almost 80% seeing
Mexico as a source of
problems.
"Despite these survey results, there's great opportunity to
build the Mexico brand in the U.S.," said Duff Stewart, GSD&M's CEO. "Mexico has many positive economic and cultural
stories to tell, but changing perceptions will take a concerted
effort in both the U.S. and Mexico."
Mexico's President-elect
Enrique Pena Nieto will meet next
week with U.S. President Barack Obama, a vital next step in the
U.S.-Mexico relationship.
See the full survey toplines and charts here.
About Vianovo
Vianovo is a boutique strategy
consultancy that specializes in high-stakes brand, policy and
crisis issues. Vianovo helps companies and causes position their
brands, move public opinion, win advocacy battles and access new
markets. The firm has offices in Austin, Dallas, Washington
DC and Mexico City. For more information, visit
Vianovo.com.
About GSD&M
GSD&M is an advertising agency
headquartered in Austin, Texas.
With a restless culture and purpose as a guiding force,
GSD&M builds brands with an integrated creative and media
approach. GSD&M is part of Omnicom Group, Inc. (NYSE:OMC). For
more information, go to GSDM.com.
SOURCE Vianovo, L.P.