The Leading Brands of Spain Forum – an institution made up of the leading brands in Spain with an international presence and public agencies with an interest in international trade and the nation brand – today asked Spanish Ambassadors to collaborate strategically in promoting the international image of Spain. José Luis Bonet, Chairman of Freixenet and the Leading Brands of Spain Forum, highlighted the close relationship between the image of a country and the image of its brands, stating that “the internationalisation of brands should be a strategic goal for companies and the Spanish government alike”.
“We hope to gain the backing of our ambassadorsambassadors abroad and with the firm support of Spanish Embassies for Spanish brands, as there is no doubt that countries with internationally prestigious images, and which are considered to be important powers in the international arena, are precisely those with a broad portfolio of global brands”, stressed Bonet.
Antonio Abril, Director and Secretary of the Board of Directors of Inditex and Deputy Chairman of the Forum also noted the “need for cooperation between the Spanish Ambassador Brands and the representatives of the Spanish Foreign Service to consolidate the process of internationalisation of the Spanish economy and give a positive projection to the nation brand”.
Ángel Lossada, the Spanish Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, decisively signalled the “strong commitment and support” from the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation to the Leading Brands of Spain Forum project – where the ministry itself plays a part, and which it considers to be a “powerful builder of the Spain image".
Amparo Fernández, the Undersecretary for the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism and Deputy Chairwoman of the Leading Brands of Spain Forum, also wished to highlight the backing given by her ministry to this project. "For the government and for the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, enhancing the potential of the Spanish economy abroad through internationalising our companies is a top priority; to improve operational efficiency and to consolidate a strategic position. This is why we support, and form a part of, the Leading Brands of Spain Forum project.”
One of the pivotal agencies for promoting the image of Spain abroad is the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade, which is also part of the Leading Brands of Spain Forum. Its Executive Deputy Chairman, Ángel Martín Acebes, also took part in this meeting, stressing the importance of “institutional cooperation for joining forces and optimising resources” and the need to “enhance the new factors for competitiveness that help to differentiate our range of products, such as quality, design and branding”.
Ángel Martín Acebes went on to say that “improving the image of Spanish goods and services and of the nation brand is one of the pillars of the Strategic Plan of the Spanish Institute of Foreign Trade, and that for this the collaboration of the leading brands and Spain embassies is key for globalisation.” As an example of such cooperation, the Executive Deputy Chairman of the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade cited the example of the ´Made in Spain´ campaign, launched by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism in the month of May. The campaign will begin with a pilot project in the U.S. with the collaboration of the Spanish brand ambassadors and the Spanish Embassy.
The nearly 130 ambassadors attending this Fifth Conference of Ambassadors subsequently participated in a symposium with the representatives of the Leading Brands of Spain Forum who showed their willingness to work together to promote the international image of Spain.
