Media visibility related to foreign and security policy has made Finland better known around the world

Finland’s NATO membership process attracted exceptionally wide international media attention, which has also led to a broader general interest in the country. According to comparative studies on country branding, Finland is now better known and the attitudes towards the country are more positive than before. This is highly beneficial in terms of Finland’s aim to be a globally influential player. This is the conclusion of the latest publication of Finland Promotion Board, How the World Sees Finland.

In 2023 the number of hits to headings mentioning Finland or the Finns in the foreign media was more than 450,000, which is twice the long-term average. Finland’s NATO membership process was the most common topic of the news about the country, but other foreign and security policy themes related to Russia were also widely discussed. News about the situation in the eastern border region, Finland’s support to Ukraine and damages to the gas pipeline and telecommunications cables were reported around the world.

The exceptionally broad visibility has increased knowledge about Finland in other countries. The country brand comparison based on the Anholt-Ipsos Nation Brands Index shows that the number of people who know about Finland increased by eight percentage points over the past five years. During the same time period, the share of those with a positive view about Finland grew from 57 to almost 70 per cent. However, the trend in the perceptions concerning Finland is strongly divided: in Russia and countries following the Russian media the attitudes have turned much more negative, at least in part.

“Finland became more widely known and the attitudes became more positive in 2023. This is very important because in the challenging global situation a strong country brand is highly significant in terms of security as well. A positive country image is also important for Finland’s economic success. Based on a recent international study, country brand accounts for about a quarter of the revenue from tourism, foreign investments and outcome of the efforts to attract talent and experts,” says Mikko Koivumaa, Director General of Communications of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and chair of Finland Promotion Board.

Strengths brought visibility, Finland in negative light in connection with news about racism

Among the themes discussed in connection with Finland were education, happiness, culture, nature and environmental issues. Happiness, in particular, opened a window to Finland’s country image. News articles about Finland as the happiest country in the world discussed the Finnish quality of life, equality, education, security, low corruption, balance between work and leisure, and sauna.

Themes related to education, equality and the environment were seen as Finland’s strengths in country brand studies as well. The most positive development from the year before took place in perceptions related to living and working in Finland. In indicators related to tourism the growth trend in Finland is also above the average.

The news about racism in late summer 2023 brought negative media visibility to Finland. Especially in Europe, the racism scandals and the minister’s resignation that followed were reported quite broadly.

The negative trend in perceptions related to governance were also reflected in the country brand studies, even if the positive image concerning good governance has been a key strength for Finland throughout the time these studies have been made. In particular, the perceptions concerning the competence and integrity of the administration and citizens’ rights and fair and just treatment had turned more negative.

Finns in world media

During 2023 the Finns were mentioned in the foreign media hundreds of thousands of times. President Sauli Niinistö was the most frequently mentioned person in connection with Finland, but in headings Prime Minister Sanna Marin had by far the widest visibility. Besides politicians, athletes were again strongly represented. Emil Ruusuvuori, Valtteri Bottas, Kalle Rovanperä and Lauri Markkanen were the Finnish athletes that were mentioned the most often. In the culture sector the film Fallen Leaves led to high media visibility for the actors in the leading roles, as well as the director Aki Kaurismäki.

Comprehensive picture in new publication about country brand

The new publication How the World Sees Finland combines data from international studies and media monitoring with the expertise of Finnish missions abroad. It replaces the earlier publications Finland in the World Media and the annual overview of Finland’s country image. How the World Sees Finland provides a comprehensive picture of themes and content related to Finland that came out in country brand studies and media monitoring. It also present analyses of the past year by press officers of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, who follow news about Finland from the perspective of their host countries.