This week in Shanghaiist
Well, for one, we guess it gets you the Olympics in Beijing. And loads of infrastructural upgrades. But China was banking on the Olympics for an image makeover, and judging by Futurebrand's 2008 Country Brand Index, the results were at least somewhat encouraging. China placed 56th out of the 78 countries ranked, with 29% of respondents giving the country a "very good" or "excellent" overall rating. It did, however, make the biggest gains in overall brand rating, improving by a full 13%.
The Index reported that China's brand showed a "comparative lack of maturity", but looking forward, they also "expect the complete Olympic experience to propel Brand China to a higher ranking overall and also in specific areas such as environmentalism, infrastructure and economic standard of living."
In the ranking breakdowns, China ranked 10th in Authenticity, 7th in History, and 9th in Art and Culture. Additionally, it finished at the top of the heap in the "Most Impressive" and "Rising Star" categories, giving it lots of cred as a major up-and-coming tourist destination. Shockingly, China did not place in the top 10 in either the Environmentalism or Political Freedom categories.
Also of note is the fact that Australia was named the best-branded country; its high ranking has in the past been attributed to its successful experience as Olympic hosts in 2000.
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""Shockingly, China did not place in the top 10 in either the Environmentalism or Political Freedom categories.""
How is that shocking? Everyone knows China don't have clean air or is a democracy. You have to be very naive to think China will crack the 10 in Environmentalism. China's spending of 40 Billion in the Olympics is peanuts compared to the amount the US is blowing away every month in futile wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
.....uh, ever here of sarcasm? Might be time for a break from China.
sarcasm |ˈsärˌkazəm|
noun
the use of irony to mock or convey contempt : his voice, hardened by sarcasm, could not hide his resentment.
ORIGIN mid 16th cent.: from French sarcasme, or via late Latin from late Greek sarkasmos, from Greek sarkazein ‘tear flesh,’ in late Greek ‘gnash the teeth, speak bitterly’ (from sarx, sark- ‘flesh’ ).