With China and the United States as the world’s leading exporters, the made in USA brand stands well above made in China in every country surveyed, except China. On the other hand, consumers in all but one country surveyed rated domestically-produced goods above made in the USA. This is no surprise since “Country First” is a mantra in not just the U.S. but in other countries as well. Brazil is the lone standout, rating made in USA above products made in Brazil.
“What’s interesting is that the desire for locally-made, home-country sourced and domestically assembled goods is especially strong with perceptions of higher quality being tied to country of local origin,” Hahn said.
Notably, Canada and Australia are the most patriotic about locally-made products, although Germany, France, Italy and the U.K. are not far behind. However, in each of those countries made in USA is a clear second choice.
Hahn advises brands to “think global and act local” in their approaches when trading in individual markets. Made in America sourcing is nothing to hide when marketing internationally, however, brands should be sensitive to local concerns and highlight local connections, such as local factories, offices, employment, investments and joint ventures, to maximize opportunities.
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