Launched to showcase the very best of the nation to the world, the GREAT campaign is celebrating its seventh anniversary. It is the UK government’s most successful international campaign, active in 140 countries, recipient of 53 highly-coveted awards and securing a return of £3.4 billion to the British economy.
The campaign unifies the international growth promotion efforts of the Department for International Trade, VisitBritain, British Council, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, 17 other government departments and organisations and hundreds of private sector companies. All work closely together to deliver jobs and growth across all parts of the UK. In 2017, the campaign supported 1,066 separate events and activities in almost 200 locations worldwide.
International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox MP said:
The GREAT brand is an increasingly valuable asset to the UK, helping my international economic department reach companies and investors across the world with a clear UK proposition.
As we celebrate its seventh anniversary and the £3.4 billion economic return – plus jobs and opportunities – it has provided the country, I look forward to seeing this figure grow exponentially over the coming years.
A recent independent assessment by valuation experts Brand Finance showed that the GREAT brand has a current value of £271 million.
The sophistication and effectiveness of the campaign is admired by people and governments around the world, including our major competitors, and in 2015 the National Audit Office commended the campaign as meeting good practice from a brand communication perspective.
Conrad Bird CBE, Director of the GREAT campaign, commented:
GREAT is a highly visible, powerful campaign which delivers a tangible economic return for the UK. As we look ahead to the next 7 years, we will capitalise on the campaign’s success to date by improving global perceptions of the UK, helping to increase levels of trade, investment, tourism and high-quality students.
Over 600 businesses and high-profile individuals are backing the campaign with joint funding, sponsored activity and active support.
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