Images of Sweden abroad

Summarised version

– A STUDY OF THE CHANGES, THE PRESENT SITUATION AND ASSESSMENT METHODS

Ministry for Foreign AffairsSweden

Article no UD.05.033

ISBN 91-7496-353-8

Graphic design Svensk Information

Coverphotos © www.imagebank.sweden.se (Hans Pettersson/Nobel Foundation,

Sara Danielsson, T Buckman/Stockholm Visitors Board, Göran Assner/Swedish

Travel & Tourism Council)

Printed by Alfa Print AB, 2005

The Council for the Promotion of Sweden is a forum

for dialogue, consultation and cooperation on effective

and long-term promotion of Sweden. The members of

the Council are:

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs, represented by its

Press, Information and Cultural Affairs Department and

Department for Export Promotion and the Internal

Market, and by the Chief Coordinator for Trade and

Investment Promotion.

www.ud.se

The Swedish Trade Council, which provides services on

behalf of the business sector and the Swedish state

aimed at establishing and developing companies and

their products, services and ideas in new markets.

www.swedishtrade.se

The Invest in Sweden Agency (ISA), which is a govern-

ment agency tasked with providing support and infor-

mation to foreign investors interested in business

opportunities in Sweden.

www.isa.se

The Swedish Institute (SI), a government agency

whose mandate is to inform the world about Sweden

and to organise exchanges with other countries in the

fields of culture, education, research and public life in

general.

www.si.se

The Swedish Travel and Tourism Council, whose

mission is to market Sweden as a travel destination

and as a brand. The Council, which is part-owned by

the state, reaches business and private travellers via

13 offices abroad.

www.swetourism.se, www.visit-sweden.com

Members of the Council for the Promotion of Sweden

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Contents

Introduction 3Why study Sweden’s image? 4Various images of Sweden 6Discussing Sweden’s self-image 10Assessing Sweden’s image abroad 12Changes in Sweden’s image, 1936–2003 16The current media image 21Sweden’s image in 23 countries and one city 26

Austria 27Brazil 27Canada 27China 28Czech Republic 28Denmark 29Finland 29France 30Germany 31Hungary 33India 33Ireland 33Italy 34Japan 34Latvia 35

Netherlands 35Norway 35Poland 36Russia 38Spain 38Switzerland 39United Kingdom 39USA 40Brussels – a European perspective 42

Summary and analysis 45Conclusions and reflections 50Appendices and sources 54

ABBREVIATIONSISA = Invest in Sweden AgencyNSU = Council for the Promotion of SwedenUD-PIK = Press, Information and Cultural Affairs Department atthe Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs SASU = Study of Sweden’s Image AbroadSI = Swedish Institute SRT = Swedish Travel and Tourism Council

ABBA: “A Syriac word,which signifies father.”

Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary 1755

ABBApeasement: “A Swedish diplomaticprocess whereby conflicting parties participatein a ‘dance-off’ to resolve their differences.”

The Future Dictionary of America 2004

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In 2003, the Council for the Promotion ofSweden (NSU) decided to study how Swedenand the Swedes were perceived in the outsideworld. Accordingly, it launched the Study ofSweden’s Image Abroad – hereinafter referredto as SASU. Under the terms of reference, itwas to assess how Sweden’s image has changedover time and what the current perception is.In addition, it was to develop methods forassessing Sweden’s image in different ways. TheNSU selected eight countries of particularinterest to Swedish promoters: Brazil, China,Germany, Japan, Poland, Russia, the UK andthe US. It also singled out six countries forcomparative purposes: Norway, Denmark,Finland, France, Germany and the Netherlands.In addition, a European perspective fromBrussels was considered appropriate.

SASU encompassed an examination of the

literature, interviews with a hundred or soSwedish and foreign representatives, a question-naire sent to 25 missions abroad, visits to Oslo,Helsinki, Berlin, Brussels, London, Dublin, NewYork and Washington, and participation in arange of seminars.

The study was carried out by Lars-OlofLundberg, Press Counsellor at the SwedishMinistry for Foreign Affairs’ Press, Informationand Cultural Affairs Department (UD-PIK),who used the heads of NSU informationdepartments as a reference group.

The present document is an English summaryof the full report. This means that some of thediscussions have been condensed and that theaccounts may on occasion be rather more dras-tic than in the longer version. The full report inSwedish can be requisitioned from Fritzespublishing house or read at www.ud.se.

Introduction

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This quote by Herman Lindqvist reflects thedoubts frequently expressed when the subject ofSweden’s image abroad comes up. It is oftenthought that there is something quintessentiallySwedish about being so concerned about thenational image. It is certainly true that the ques-tion of how Sweden is viewed abroad has longpreoccupied politicians, ministry officials andothers concerned with the promotion ofSweden. When the Government commissioneda report in 1987 on the status both of Swedeninformation abroad and international culturalexchange, it invited a group of 17 Swedes tophilosophise about Sweden’s image. From thereport it would seem that• we seek in outside perceptions a response to

our own way of being; they are seen as a markof our successes and our failures.

• we see ourselves through the eyes of others,consciously or unconsciously, voluntarily or

involuntarily; all nations have the same mythsabout themselves, and no people are indiffer-ent to the way they are perceived by others.

• the term ‘Sweden’s image’ embraces a multi-tude of largely vague attitudes, feelings, reac-tions and prejudices among that part of thehuman race that may just possibly have heardof us.

Over the years, Swedish media have showngreat interest in how Sweden is perceivedabroad, and still do. But there are also crassergrounds for monitoring our image.

Public diplomacy – addressing the citizens ofanother country directly – and cultural diplo-macy are becoming increasingly important andpopular instruments in the diplomatic arsenal.To use such instruments successfully, you musthave a pretty clear picture of how your countryis regarded in the country/countries being tar-

Why study Sweden’s image?

“It is as though Mother Svea were forever sitting andfidgeting at the kitchen table, anxiously peering outthrough the window, out across the stone walls, worriedthat her husband and children may have made fools ofthemselves – for what would the neighbours say?”

Herman Lindqvist

Sweden –

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geted. Any changes in the image will be a meas-ure of how effective your efforts have been.

The overall aim of Swedish promotional ini-tiatives is to make the country visible and toboost growth and employment. According totheories of branding strategy, this involves link-ing strong brands with others in order toachieve effects whose whole is greater than theindividual parts. If, for instance, people have apositive attitude towards Sweden, they are morelikely to buy our products or visit us. In seekingto define what the ‘Sweden brand’ stands for,Sweden’s image abroad is an important instru-ment.

Each year, public authorities, municipalitiesand regional bodies invest large sums in pro-moting Sweden in one way or another. As a basisfor determining the scale and scope of promo-tion efforts, and also for assessing their impact,we need a picture of how Sweden is perceived inother countries.

In the global economy, government bodies arebecoming increasingly involved in the businessof marketing their countries in the internation-al game of rivalry known as competition.Foreign services in many countries are reconsid-ering their priorities and placing greater empha-sis on promotion. Thus Sweden is not unique inseeking to learn how it is regarded by the out-side world. In the course of the present study,we have come across a number of countriesactively engaged in similar endeavours: Finland,Norway, Mexico, the UK, the US and theEuropean Commission.

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“Extolling all things Swedish as splendidwithout exception, or at least better thanall else in the world, is by no means a gen-uinely Swedish quality.” Carl Jonas Love Almqvist

Various images of SwedenSweden’s image embraces a wide range ofimpressions and references. The media image isthe easiest to assimilate and therefore has thegreatest impact. But if we stop to consider howwe ourselves regard other countries, we can seehow their images are made up of a whole arrayof impressions, of which media portrayals arebut one – nursery rhymes, teaching, visits,acquaintances, goods and sports stars, etc, allplay an important role. The more remote thecountry, the more blurred the image. But peo-ple within individual countries, too, naturallyhave widely differing perceptions of Sweden.

Self-image and clichés

The principal source of knowledge aboutanother country is what its people tell us – theirself-image. Just as there is no single image ofSweden, nor is there a single self-image.

Researchers and authors tend to identify cer-tain specific themes as being part of theSwedish self-image:

• self-determination and democracy – thetime-honoured, natural freedom of the yeo-man farmer,

• nationalism – Sweden, where peace reignsand where order and common sense prevail, isan exception in the world.

• modernity – identity associated with contem-porary life, a sense of belonging to the avant-garde,

• Americanisation – ,a penchant for American-style popular culture,

• the welfare society, or folkhem, and neutrali-ty – an inward success story with social secu-rity and full employment, plus outward suc-cess as a critic, mediator and bridge-builder,

The self image

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• tension between puritanism and liberalism –since the 1980s, Sweden’s traditional puritanethic has been under attack from more indi-vidualistic values,

• mentality – averse to conflict, reserved, slow,serious and melancholy,

• character – level-headed, with a peasant-likepragmatism but also a deeply lyrical attach-ment to nature.

Clichés, stereotypes and myths determine theway many people view a given country. Hereare some of the clichés associated with ourcountry and ourselves: Sweden is beautiful,self-sufficient, expensive, environment-mind-ed, open, socialist, neutral and egalitarian. TheSwedes are shy, stiff, introspective, convention-al, superior, self-righteous, naive, security-addicted, suicide-prone and sex-crazed nudebathers averse to conflict, but also outward-looking, friendly, equality-minded, rich, tech-nically accomplished, hard-working, punctual,clean, blue-eyed blondes.

The media image

Among the media, the image of Sweden in theprinted press is the easiest to absorb, which alsomeans that it has a considerable impact on thenational discourse. If you want to reach deci-sion-makers in other countries, the best idea isto focus on quality newspapers and magazines,which tend to have a higher credibility ratingand be quoted more often by other media.

Certain newspapers have a major internationalimpact, such as the British Financial Times,Times, Guardian and Economist, the GermanFrankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Der Spiegel anddie Zeit, the French Le Monde, the Swiss NeueZürcher Zeitung and the American New YorkTimes, Washington Post, International HeraldTribune, Los Angeles Times, Time Magazine andNewsweek. The popular press, however, shouldnot be neglected, as the kind of ‘pack journal-ism’ it indulges in can reinforce prejudices andclichés. The specialist press is gaining in impor-tance both when one is seeking to reach a widercircle of economic decision-makers via the gen-eral business media and when seeking to reachindustry representatives via the trade media.Lifestyle magazines such as Elle and Wallpaperare important purveyors of image.

Determining how Sweden is perceived onforeign radio is more difficult, as programmestend to be local in character. There are, however,a number of stations that have a global impact,such as the BBC World Service, Deutsche Welleand France Inter.

TV is usually considered superior to othermedia in the impact it has, but how long thisimpact lasts is another matter. TV tends to offereven less airtime than radio and less space thanthe press. When Swedes are given the chance todisplay their expertise in documentary pro-grammes or on talk shows of one kind or anoth-er, the impact is considerable. The world leadersin TV news journalism are the BBC, Sky, CNN,

The media

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ABC and NBC. In recent years, German,Japanese and Chinese channels have shownquite a lot of interest in Sweden.

News agencies are key actors in news coverageworldwide. This is particularly true today, whenmedia across the globe are cutting down cover-age of the outside world by their own corre-spondents. The leading agencies are representedin Stockholm: AP, AFP, Bloomberg, DPA, DowJones and Reuters.

The importance of foreign correspondents –almost 200 of whom are registered at theMinistry for Foreign Affairs Press Centre – forexpert, regular coverage of Sweden cannot beover-emphasised. As the long-term tendency isto cut back their activities, visits by journalistsare becoming still more important. Altogether,various public actors in Sweden invite some1,300 journalists a year on visits.

Today, the Internet is one of the most impor-tant sources of information. Sweden’s image isconveyed not only by the Government’s websitewww.sweden.gov.se, the embassies’ websites onwww.sweden.se, and by the websites of otherauthorities and organisation, but also via suchsources as encyclopaedias, net journals, thinktanks and the foreign ministries and securityservices of other countries.

Other images

A number of international observers – such asthe UN, the OECD and the World EconomicForum – compare countries and publish lists

ranking them in the economic and educationalfields, etc.

The world of education – from pre-school touniversity – establishes a view of the outsideworld that often becomes permanent.Exchanges of students and researchers have aparticularly strong impact.

Culture in its various forms provides animportant image – in Sweden’s case, the Nobelprizes, Ingmar Bergman and ABBA are the fore-most symbols.

As Sweden’s business sector is extremelyexport-oriented, companies and products oftenbecome synonymous with Sweden’s imageabroad.

Previously, Swedish politics has chiefly beenassociated in the public mind with a high pro-file in international organisations, foreign aidand the Swedish model. Today, as a result of itsEU membership, Sweden is actively involved invery specific joint efforts in virtually all policyspheres.

Sweden’s image among the general publicabroad depends to a great extent on the directcontact people have with Sweden or the Swedes.Sport, popular culture and famous personalitiesare often the only connections they make withSweden, especially in the case of young people.

Major events such as the murder of a govern-ment minister, the shipwreck of Estonia, elec-tions or national referendums are what mainlyattract world attention in a country of Sweden’ssize.

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“If you read his (Erik Gustaf Geijer’s) book,Memories, a remarkable picture emerges ofpeople keeping abreast of things while livingdeep in the forest, out on the farms and in thevicarages; they keep up with what is happen-ing in Europe and in the world.” Anders Ehnmark

Discussing Sweden’s self-imageIn November 2004, a dozen opinion-makersfrom the world of politics, administration,NGOs and academia met at the initiative of theMinistry for Foreign Affairs’ Policy AnalysisUnit to discuss Sweden’s self-image. This dis-cussion – rendered in edited form in the fullSwedish version of SASU – proceeded fromfour assertions. As expected, reactions weredivided. The following account can give only abrief idea of the views people held.

Assertion 1: “Sweden is a countrywith a strong European identity.”

This is not true, if one is to believe the surveysof national affinity with the EU. A Europeanidentity has long been evident in this country,however, bearing in mind the 19th centuryjourneymen who travelled to the continent to

learn from the masters, and Sweden’s academiccollaboration with Europe down through theages. Nor should we forget “our noblest desires”in Hjalmar Branting’s 1919 call for no more warand peace in all countries. Today, Sweden’sEuropean identity is expressed via the EU’squest for sustainable development, emphasis-ing a social model and growth that is compati-ble with democracy and peace. Sweden finds iteasier to identify with the European idea/con-cept than with the European project as such.

Assertion 2: “Sweden is a leadingindustrial and free-trade nation.”

There are a number of paradoxes concerningSweden’s role as an industrial nation – today,most of the added value in industry tends tocome from services. We have a disproportion-

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ate number of very large companies, while atthe same time the Swedish component in theproduct is growing ever smaller. Mediaaccounts of Swedish business focus to a greatextent on adventure or experience industryproducts such as music or design, although theyaccount for only a small share of exports, whichare still dominated by traditional primary andmanufacturing industries. How the outsideworld views Sweden as a free-trade nationdepends to a great extent on who you ask. EUmembership has limited our independence intrade policy terms.

Assertion 3: “Sweden takes responsibility for international peace and security.”

Over the centuries, Sweden’s security policyrole has changed a number of times: conquerorand great power from the mid-16th century to1658, a semi-power up until the Napoleonicwars, a minor state up to the 1940s, a mediumpower with an activist role during the ColdWar, and then an energetic proponent of Balticand European policies that made the 1990s adecade of vital security-policy importance.Today, once again a minor state, anxiously ask-

ing the question: where is the political scene –in the UN, the EU or NATO? RegardingSweden’s responsibility for international peaceand security, both our self-image and our inter-national image have changed radically over thepast 20–30 years.

Assertion 4: “Sweden stands for global justice and human rights.”

To Sweden’s image as a forerunner and an altru-ist in the development cooperation field can beadded the observation that it has often been inthe country’s own interests to assume such arole. In the case of today’s young students, aparadigm shift is under way; they are moreaware of global injustice and are far more sensi-tive to the issues than students just 20 years ago.When asylum-seekers are asked why they choseto flee to Sweden, most reply that it is a coun-try where human rights are respected. Swedenstill enjoys a degree of trust among this group,but it breaks down when most asylum-seekersare denied permits and forced to return home.We might be more credible if we allowed our-selves to accept the darker sides of our self-image as well.

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“Even trained statisticians find it difficult to determinewhat is actually meant when 50 per cent say they thinksomething or other about the US – what kind of guidancedoes that give the policymakers?” John A Matel, State Department

Assessing Sweden’s image abroadWithin the NSU organisations

By tradition, the Swedish Ministry for ForeignAffairs has confined its assessment of Sweden’simage abroad to the media image, and usually towhat has been written in the press. Up to andincluding 2002, the embassies summed up themedia image in their respective countries everyyear in reports that the Ministry for ForeignAffairs subsequently assembled and published asan annual report, ‘Sweden in the Foreign Media’.Since 2001, the UD-PIK has compiled monthlyreports, which are posted at www.ud.se.

In June 1999, a Canadian pollster, the AngusReid Group, ordered by NSU, published an inter-national survey entitled ‘The Sweden ImageProject’.

The Invest in Sweden Agency (ISA) regularly com-piles press summaries and monitors competitivesurveys of various kinds. Important articles andtest results are posted at its website, www.isa.se.

In 2005, the Swedish Institute (SI) will belaunching a new digital tool for business intelli-

gence gathering as part of the NSU’s jointextranet, the Swedish Promotion Forum, atwww.sweden.se/forum.

The Swedish Travel and Tourism Council (SRT)helps organise some 600 journalist visits a year,which result in some 6,000 articles. It also pro-duces regular summaries of these articles.

Different assessment methods

The embassies’ traditional media monitoring con-tinues to fill an important function. The Internethas furnished new opportunities for monitoringand searching for Sweden-related articles, e.g. viaspecialist databases such as LexisNexis and viaGoogle searches.

The most comprehensive and scientificallyvaluable images of Sweden are obtained by order-ing our own opinion polls, or possibly by hookinginto what are termed omnibus surveys. These,however, are very expensive, and there are simpleralternatives, such as surveys conducted by post, bytelephone, by e-mail or over the Internet.

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Focus groups comprising 8–12 people can yield awide range of information in a comparativelyshort space of time on how Sweden is perceived.Such groups, too, are expensive, however. Analternative is seminars or conferences at whichSweden’s image is discussed from one viewpointor another.

Qualitative interviews involve conducting struc-tured 30–60-minute conversations personally orby telephone with a selection of people consid-ered relevant to the survey. These can yield bal-anced, considered and open opinions, but thewide range of material obtained in this way mayprove difficult to manage. In seeking to deter-mine Sweden’s image, the selection could includesuch people as opinion-makers, embassy staff andpromotion bodies, Swedish correspondentsabroad and foreign correspondents, exchangeresearchers, Swedish language teachers and for-eign representatives of the party groups in theEuropean Parliament.

International approaches

Finland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs compilesdaily media summaries and posts them at itswebsite. They are subsequently assembled in anannual publication. Finland invests heavily inpress visits – some 300 journalists a year are invit-ed – and in persuading internationally rankedauthors to write books about such Finnish phe-nomena as the IT society.

France keeps a close eye on the publicity itreceives in countries where it has an ‘image prob-lem’, but does not otherwise provide any regular

summaries or reviews. French embassies, howev-er, carefully monitor and submit for analysis atQuai d’Orsay what Paris-based foreign correspon-dents report in their home media. France invitessome 140-150 journalists a year on press visits.

Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairsreceives frequent e-mail reports of press develop-ments from its embassies in Berlin and London. Itdoes not evaluate Ireland’s image abroad, butkeeps careful track of what is said in the US,where it previously invested heavily in informa-tion about the troubles in Northern Ireland. Theembassies comment on press coverage in theirannual reports. The Department of ForeignAffairs is now ploughing growing resources intopromoting Ireland abroad.

Via its press attaché in Berlin, Mexico is produc-ing a doctoral thesis for Leicester University (UK)on Mexico’s image in Germany in 2000.

The Netherlands has not surveyed its nationalimage in any systematic way. The embassiesreport on the media image when there is cause todo so, and are expected to provide such reportswhen the Netherlands occupies the EU presiden-cy. As the country upgrades its ‘public diplomacy’in relation to a number of focus countries, moresystematic feedback may be forthcoming.

Norway commissioned a think tank, theLondon Foreign Policy Centre, to carry out astudy of Norway’s image in a number of differentcountries, based on interviews, questionnaire sur-veys and opinion polls. Its findings are presentedin a report, ‘Norwegian Public Diplomacy’, inwhich a strategy is formulated. The embassies

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The embassies are important todisseminate the image of Sweden.

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report regularly to the Ministry of Foreign Affairson the media image in their respective countries.The organisation responsible for Norway’s cente-nary celebrations in 2005 commissioned a surveyof eight European countries and found thatNorway is not exactly regarded as a great human-itarian power in the European community.

Via the British Council, the UK has set up aprogramme of quantitative and qualitative sur-veys to determine how 33 foreign countries per-ceive Britain. Focus groups are concentrating onhow the next generation in the political, culturaland business spheres view different events anddevelopments in the country.

The US works very actively via the StateDepartment’s International Information Pro-gramme (IIP) to develop America’s image abroad.Studies are commissioned from foreign pollinginstitutes, usually in the form of omnibus surveyswhere countries can hook into the questions oftheir choice. Focus groups are employed to bringto the surface issues that would not otherwiseemerge, and they also provide a good insight intohow people think abroad. Via its embassies, theUS monitors the outside world’s media reactionsand provides a daily review of the most importanteditorials, which are published on the StateDepartment’s website,www.usinfo.state.gov/products/medreac.htm.

An independent undertaking, the ‘Pew GlobalAttitudes Project’, studies regional views on suchmatters as globalisation and trade, and attitudesto democracy, and on other key issues such as ter-rorism. The project encompasses 75,000 people in

50 countries, and the results are posted atwww.people-press.org..

Austria uses largely the same methods as theSwedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs in seeking todetermine the country’s image abroad. It worksextensively with its 29 cultural institutes – knownas cultural forums – for political and culturalinvestment abroad.

Since 1973, the European Commission has beencarrying out regular surveys of public opinion inthe member states via the Eurobarometer. As arule, it conducts six surveys a year, using four differ-ent approaches: the standard barometer, with25,000 interviewees, a ‘flash service’ with telephoneinterviews, ‘flash target groups’ addressing opinion-makers, politicians and businesspeople, and a ‘qual-ity service’ using focus groups. Outside parties canno longer hook into questions in theEurobarometer, which is available on the Internetat http://europa.eu.int/comm/public_opinion/index_en.htm.

The SASU method

For SASU, a combination of methods has beenused: 1) a study of ‘Sweden in the Foreign Media’,2) individual interviews with about a hundredpeople in Sweden and six other countries:embassy representatives and representatives ofpromotion bodies, Swedish and foreign corre-spondents, journalists, politicians and other opin-ion-makers, 3) a questionnaire survey of 25 mis-sions abroad, 4) a questionnaire survey of 40Finnish-speaking Swedish language teachers, and5) participation in seminars in 2004.

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Changes in Sweden’s image,1936–2003

“A new myth about the Swedish model iscirculating in Europe and attracting agrowing number of French – andEuropean – ministers in their search fornew ideas.” La lettre de L’Expansion

The changes in Sweden’s image abroad noted inthe present study are based both on the contentsof previous reports and on the UD-PIK’s annualsummary, ‘Sweden in the Foreign Media’ from1968 onwards. These summaries in turn aremainly based on press clippings from theembassies. The period up to 1989 is dealt withmore cursorily, after which the material is exam-ined in greater depth the closer we get to ourown times.

The years 1936–1967

The 1936 book ‘Sweden, the Middle Way’ byAmerican author Marquis Child profoundlyaffected Sweden’s image in the world. It had aconsiderable impact in the US, but also affectedthe Swedes’ own self-image and became some-thing of a touchstone for Sweden. The war yearsgenerated two approximate images of the coun-try: a neutral country that indulged the Germans

and lacked the courage to come down firmly onthe side of democracy and freedom, and a neutralcountry that became a haven for many and didimportant humanitarian work, with figures likeFolke Bernadotte and Raoul Wallenberg as theprincipal icons.

After the war, Sweden had a material advantageover other countries and could afford to experimentwith economic and social models. Also, our imageincluded a policy of neutrality that had kept us freefrom war for 150 years. We were considered peace-able, sensible, hard-working and perhaps a bitunimaginative and formal. In one area, however, wewere thought rather more exciting – sex. Films like‘Summer with Monika’ and ‘One Summer ofHappiness’, together with the activities of theNational Swedish Association for SexualInformation, helped spread the image of a sexuallyliberated people. When American presidentDwight D Eisenhower subsequently gave voice to

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the misconception that Sweden had the highestsuicide rate in the world, two enduring clichéswere born.

The Swedish model was a popular theme inthe 1960s, when it was both praised and abused.A critical image that recurred over the years wasone of Sweden as a boring country where theindividual was suffocated by invasive care andconsideration and where power-hungry bureau-crats hounded a people lacking in moral fibre.Our criticism of the Vietnam war and the factthat we took in American deserters madeSweden more visible in the US.

The years 1968–1988

Outside the sporting arena, reporting fromabroad over the next two decades was dominat-ed by two themes: the Swedish model and OlofPalme’s actions and person.

The Swedish model aroused both admirationand criticism. In France, for instance, it was con-sidered something to aspire to. Other countriesbecame increasingly critical of parts of themodel or of the model as a whole. A major strikeat the state-controlled LKAB mines in 1969 wastaken as a sign that consensus in the Swedishlabour market was beginning to crack at theseams. A number of books set the tone for thistype of criticism.

Olof Palme was elected party leader in 1969and from his first day as prime minister was afigure of considerable interest to the foreignmedia. They viewed his accession to power asevidence of a more radical leftist trend in

Swedish politics, with equality as the goal.Palme’s strong commitment and ideology, hisincreasingly fierce criticism of the Vietnam war,his other international statements, his efforts tomediate between Iran and Iraq, his losses at the1976 and 1979 elections and his return to powerin 1982 – all received widespread publicityabroad. When he was murdered in 1986, some1,000 foreign journalists rushed to Stockholmand Sweden received more publicity than everbefore.

Following the change of government in 1976,Sweden was increasingly described as a normalcountry, the Swedish model came in for increas-ing criticism, and many thought Sweden’sfamed consensus had breathed its last when ageneral strike broke out in 1980. When theRussian U-137 ran aground outside Karlskronain 1981, it was the start of several years’ report-ing on submarine activity along Sweden’scoasts. Among the negative images of Swedenprojected in the 1980s was that of a ‘children’sgulag’ (a reference to children being taken intocare under the Child Welfare Act). A year ofspecial note was 1984, when many writers drewparallels between Sweden and George Orwell’sdystopia, ‘1984’. In the 1970s, however, newissues came to public attention, such as environ-mental care, gender equality and immigrantintegration policy.

Except for the murder of Palme, most newsfrom Sweden during this period concernedsport, and particularly Björn Borg. Sweden’sgiant international corporations also generated

Olof Palme(1927–1986)

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publicity throughout this period. With theirvictory in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974,ABBA presaged Swedish pop music’s interna-tional breakthrough.

The years 1989–2003

The year 1989 transformed Europe. In newsterms, however, Sweden was overshadowed byevents to the East. The dramatic developmentsin Eastern Europe washed in over Sweden in1990, accompanied by economic crisis, propos-als for a freeze on wages and industrial action,and the departure of the minister of finance.The Government applied to join the EU, amove that was interpreted by the outside worldas the collapse of the Swedish model.

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung summedup the change: “For decades, the Swedes – whomanaged to avoid being drawn into the worldwars but earned good money from them – haveremained entrenched in their own distinctivelyinsular role. Content with their wealthy econo-my and exemplary social welfare system, andconscious of their moral superiority, not to saytheir imperious nobility, they have gazed downon the rest of the world. And now – everythingis different.”

The watershed became apparent to all in 1991when the Social Democrats lost the election tothe centre-right opposition. The new primeminister, Carl Bildt, declared that the Swedishmodel had been “cast upon the scrapheap ofhistory”, and the outside world took this tomean that Sweden was swinging to the right

and taking a step towards Europe. In 1992,Sweden’s economic problems mounted. Wewere no longer perceived as a unique countrybut, with EU membership round the corner,increasingly as just another small Europeanstate. Meanwhile, the foreign press continued towrite in favourable terms about Sweden as atourist destination and about the country’s suc-cesses in the pop music sphere. As the decadedeveloped, our only living international celebri-ty in the arts field, Ingmar Bergman, found him-self joined by Astrid Lindgren.

In terms of headlines, 1994 was another recordyear: parliamentary elections with a change ofgovernment, the EU referendum, the Estoniadisaster, and, in particular, all the sports stories,headed by Sweden’s successes in the World Cup(football), the Davis Cup (tennis) and theEuropean Championships in Göteborg (athlet-ics). Sweden’s ‘yes’ in the EU referendum –albeit by a small majority – was well received.The Berliner Morgenpost wrote: “By saying yes,the Swedes are saying goodbye to almost twohundred years of neutrality. Their self-imposedisolation in the northern corner of the conti-nent is coming to an end. This radical turn-around necessitates a new policy approach, andthis is something the pro-Europeans in Swedenwill have to convince their sceptical compatri-ots that the country needs.”

With the exception of the election of GöranPersson as the new party leader and prime min-ister in 1996, political news from Sweden con-tinued to wane. A couple of historical references

Ingmar Bergman

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made an international impact in 1997, however:Sweden’s role in the Second World War and itsforced sterilisation programme during the1930’s. Interest in Sweden grew during the 1998elections. Reference was also made to Sweden’swait-and-see policy on EMU, to Swedish com-panies, to Stockholm as the Culture Capital ofEurope, and to both Ingmar Bergman’s 80th

birthday and Selma Lagerlöf’s 140th. The mostextensive coverage, however, was reserved forthe discotheque fire in Göteborg that claimed63 lives.

The new millennium began with a recordyear for Sweden’s image abroad. A large numberof favourable articles were published, coveringdifferent areas: The Holocaust conference,Newsweek’s article describing Stockholm as aScandinavian Seattle, which generated articlesabout Medicon Valley and the Öresund Bridge,pop stars who recorded in Sweden, and success-es for companies like IKEA and Ericsson.

The year 2001 was another record year, duringwhich Sweden placed itself firmly on theEuropean map as a result of its successful presi-dency of the EU. Prime Minister Göran Perssonand Minister for Foreign Affairs Anna Lindhbecame well-known international figures as aresult of pictures, statements, interviews andpersonal portraits. Swedish lifestyle attractedgrowing attention in various journals, not leastin France, and Japan took a closer look at variousaspects of the Swedish model such as childcare,care of the elderly, gender equality policy, groupaccommodation for elderly dementia sufferers,

and employment policy measures such as reliefwork and training programmes.

In 2002, foreign reporting included favour-able articles on Swedish design and tourism –particularly the ice hotel in Jukkasjärvi, whichcontinued to attract world attention – and onIKEA’s and H&M’s new outlets abroad.

In September 2003, Sweden became a focalpoint for the world’s media. The murder ofAnna Lindh and the Swedish people’s rejectionof the euro meant that not since the murder ofOlof Palme had so much been written, said andscreened about our country in the internationalmedia. Many took the opportunity to look clos-er at the society in which the murder had takenplace and which had rejected monetary union –both favourable and unfavourable aspects ofSwedish society were highlighted. France exam-ined the ‘stainless-steel Swedish model’ with itsblend of liberalism, deregulation and flexibility,and the unshakeable welfare state with itsextensive public services and heavy tax burdenstill in place.

Analysis of changes in Sweden’s image abroad

Foreign media have displayed greater interest inSweden in recent years than the size of thecountry might seem to warrant. Interest wasstrong between the 1960s and 1980s but fadedas Europe underwent change in 1989. Since wejoined the EU in 1995, the amount of coverageis more in line with what might be expected.

Most interest has been focused on Sweden’seconomic successes, the Swedish model and the

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country’s neutral position between the greatpower blocs. Spectacular events also played theirpart: the murders of Olof Palme and AnnaLindh, and the Chernobyl and Estonia disasters.At the same time, there has been a largelyfavourable flow of news from the sporting andbusiness worlds, and also about Sweden as aplace to visit. The Nobel prizes have been thesingle most positive annual item in foreignreporting.

The Swedish model has been a long drawn-out bestseller, either as a goal to aspire to or assomething to avoid. Like Sahrimnir, the cosmicboar of Nordic mythology, the Swedish modelhas risen from the dead in a new form – pensionschemes, family policy, and the care of children,the elderly and the disabled – and as such hasinfluenced the social discourse in countries likeCanada, France, Germany, Japan and the UK.

Recurrent themes have been Sweden’s neu-trality – later non-alignment – and its long peri-od of peace, its solidarity with the Third World,its role as mediator and its self-assumed role asthe conscience of the world. Prominent namesin the news have included Raoul Wallenberg,Dag Hammarskjöld, Carl Bildt, Rolf Ekéus andHans Blix. Just as people were for or against theSwedish model, they were for or against OlofPalme. He aroused strong feelings in the mediathroughout the world – in the US for his oppo-sition to the Vietnam war, in the Third Worldfor his declarations of solidarity and in Europeas an ideological icon.

Sweden’s membership of the EU has alteredour image abroad in many respects. The 2001presidency received a good press and madeGöran Persson and Anna Lindh familiar figuresin many parts of the world. The country’s firmrejection of the euro, however, disappointedmany European media. The principal effect ofmembership on our media image, however, hasbeen to place us among other European coun-tries and turn us into a more ‘normal’ minorEuropean state.

Globalisation and the relatively large numberof Swedish multinational companies has led toa steady increase in coverage of this sector.Sweden as a place to visit has also received widercoverage year after year. Sport is a sphere thathas yielded extensive and largely favourablepublicity. Björn Borg is in a class of his own inthis respect.

In the arts field, Ingmar Bergman has beenthe most famous Swedish name for many years.At her death, Astrid Lindgren, too, was widelyknown. In the pop music field, ABBA have longtopped the list, while other groups have becomewell-known without being linked so closely toSweden.

The clichés about Sweden and the Swedes havepersisted down through the years, particularlythose concerning sex, melancholy and suicide.

The murders of government ministers aside,the image of Sweden presented in the foreignmedia has been predominantly favourable dur-ing the period under review.

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The current media image

“Sweden’s success story has lessonsfor the world.” International Herald Tribune

Press, radio and TV

After the tumultuous events of 2003, 2004proved a more ‘normal’ media year in terms ofSweden’s image abroad, until Boxing Day andthe tsunami disaster.

The events that received the greatest mediacoverage did not have the same internationalappeal as those of the previous year: the Swe-dish–Israeli art row at the National HistoricalMuseum, the trial of Anna Lindh’s murderer,the King’s statements in Brunei, the transition-al rules for the new EU member states, and theKnutby murder.

The extensive visits undertaken by the PrimeMinister and the Minister for Foreign Affairsduring the year received publicity in the coun-tries visited. In conjunction with the electionsto the European Parliament, the anti-EU JuneList and the Swedes’ indifference to the Unionattracted a certain amount of attention. Theappointment of Margot Wallström as Vice-

President of the new European Commissiondrew comment in several member states.

Based on a UN report about researchers, theInternational Herald Tribune wrote under theheading, ‘Sweden’s success has lessons for theworld’, that “Sweden is probably the most suc-cessful country in the world” and “a magnet forthe world’s most driven working talents.”

The left-wing British journal New Statesmandescribed how the Social Democrats had man-aged to update their policies by “creating a bal-ance between sound economic developmentand social solidarity”. The Economist wasimpressed by Sweden’s social policy initiatives,and wrote: “If politics were a commodity,Sweden would have a large surplus in its balanceof payments”, noting that aspects of Sweden’sfamily and employment policies had beenexported to the UK.

The British Financial Times carried a majorstory about Göran Persson explaining to his

A ‘normal’media year

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German counterpart, Gerhard Schröder, howeconomic success could be maintained withoutrenouncing social responsibility. The Frenchweekly, L’Express, expressed its admiration forthe Swedish public sector, which “works onbusiness principles”, and a number of Frenchmedia reported how a secretary of state hadbeen amazed “at the Swedes’ faith in the state”.Another British paper, The Guardian, describedSweden’s welfare system in general and child-care in particular in favourable terms.

In the business world, besides the expansionof IKEA and H&M, Volvo’s specially designedcar for women attracted the most attention.Swedish IT, which became less newsworthyafter the ‘IT bubble’ burst at the turn of the cen-tury, is once again a topic, not least in Japan.

American and Japanese magazines in particularbut also daily newspapers have published arti-cles about Swedish design. Enthusiastic articlesabout Sweden as a tourist destination are stillcoming in. Stockholm in particular has attract-ed interest as a cool, interesting city with a calm,beautiful archipelago by way of contrast.Lapland is once again an exotic theme, andSwedish cuisine continues to receive pressacclaim.

In the arts field, Ingmar Bergman was as usuala focal point, this time in connection with thescreening of ‘Saraband’, along with ABBA, thistime in connection with Mama Mia and the clo-sure of the Polar recording studio. Other promi-nent names have been Henning Mankell, theEsbjörn Svensson Trio (EST) and the Cullberg

Exhibition at Tate Modern, London.

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dance company. The award of the Nobel prizefor literature to Elfriede Jelinek met with mixedreactions in her native country, Austria. In thesports field, Anja Pärson’s ski triumphs, ZlatanIbrahimovic’s backheeled goal in the EuropeanChampionships, and the Swedes’ Olympic goldmedals were the main stories abroad. Other-wise, the most prominent personalities in theforeign media during the year were IngridThulin, as a result of her death, Hans Blix, forhis book, ‘Disarming Iraq’, Sven-Göran Erikssonfor his achievements both in football and in his‘vie amoureuse’, which Le Monde referred to as‘Svengate: England’s summer soap opera’.

The major news story of the year fromSweden was the Boxing Day tsunami disaster inSouth East Asia. Sweden was the country out-side the region to suffer the most casualties inthe form of dead, injured and missing, whichprompted some 35 media companies to sendrepresentatives here, including 20 TV teams.The coverage was greatest in the Nordic coun-tries, but other European countries, NorthAmerica and Australia/New Zealand showedconsiderable interest in Sweden as well.

On the Internet

Images of Sweden can be found on many for-eign institutions’ websites, including the sitesof media companies, think tanks, touristguides, foreign ministries and security services,etc. Here are three examples:www.trade.uktradeinvest.gov.uk

The British Foreign Office’s trade promotionpages describe Sweden as an attractive proposi-tion for British exporters.

www.cia.gov/publications/factbookThe American intelligence agency, CIA, pres-ents a ten-line summary of Sweden’s transitionfrom great power to EU member.

www.news.bbc.co.ukUnder the heading ‘A decade of uncertainty’,the BBC lists important events in Sweden fromthe submarine hunts of the 1980s to the convic-tion of Anna Lindh’s murderer in 2004.

In books

The way foreign writers portray Sweden inbooks has had a particularly strong impact onSweden’s image abroad ever since MarquisChild’s ‘Sweden, the Middle Way’ was pub-lished in 1936.

In the field of business literature, there are anumber of current books that offer backgroundinformation and examine cultural differencesand conflicts in Swedish business life. One ofthe most thorough and wide-ranging is To Be,Not To Be Seen – The Mystery of Swedish Business(2001) by Jerry Hagstrom. He suggests that con-sumers throughout the world know Sweden forits quality products.

Some English-language tourist guides offer aflattering picture of Sweden. The Rough GuideTo Sweden (UK 2003) thinks that Sweden is rel-

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atively unknown and still one of Europe’s best-kept secrets. Lonely Planet Sweden (Australia2003) wonders who wouldn’t like to live up tothe Swedish stereotype: tall, blonde, beautiful,athletic types who are at the cutting edge oftechnology, nicely looked after by the state, liv-ing comfortable, well-designed lives and spend-ing their long summers eating meatballs and lis-tening to ABBA. A Hedonist’s Guide to Stockholm(UK 2004) finds this lively little metropolis themost “up-and-coming place to drink, eat andparty” in Europe. The American guide 1000Places To See Before You Die (2003) finds ten ofthem in Sweden.

In the British Council anthology SwedishReflections (2003), the reader can learn how anumber of British novelists have perceivedSweden down through the years. Among cur-rent biographies, ‘Bokslut’ (2004) by Finland’sMax Jakobson is worthy of note. During histime as ambassador to Stockholm, he found that“Swedish society was like a kaleidoscope inwhich the picture was forever changing,depending on which way you turned it: (...) In anation that has lived in peace since 1814, changetakes place slowly, the structure is enduring.”

A look at some well-stocked bookshops inLondon, Dublin and New York showed that themost widely displayed Swedish authors translat-ed into English were Henning Mankell, P OEnquist and Kerstin Ekman.

International comparisons

The ISA website, www.isa.se, shows howSweden rates in international comparativestudies of various kinds. Here are some con-densed illustrations of Sweden’s ranking in var-ious world tables in 2004:• currency rating: AAA,• use of information and communication tech-

nology: 4,• GDP per capita corrected for purchasing

power: 14th

,• leading innovation centre among 23 European

cities: Stockholm,• preparedness for e-learning: 1st

• English language skills among 15–16-year-oldsin eight EU countries: joint 1st

• creativity among European countries: 1st

• resources invested in innovation among EUcountries: 1st

• social, economic and environment-relatedindicators combined: joint 1st with the otherNordic countries,

• welfare in Europe: joint 1st with the otherNordic countries,

• security for wage-earners: 1st

• university ranking: Karolinska 6th in Europe,39th in the world

• productivity in 12 industrial countries: 2nd,• top executive salaries: 1st in the EU, 3rd in the

world,• competitiveness: 3rd, and• environment among 30 OECD countries: 1st.

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“I think about a modern, humanand delightful country.” Lord Radice

Sweden’s image in 23 countries and one cityFor the purposes of SASU, Sweden’s image has been examined in 23countries of interest from a promotional and comparative viewpoint,and also in Brussels to provide a European perspective. This has beendone by means of an embassy questionnaire to 25 Swedish missionsabroad, interviews with Swedish and foreign representatives inStockholm, and visits to six countries (referred to below as the study).In addition, 40 Finnish-speaking Swedish language teachers in Finlandhave been surveyed separately (the Swedish teacher survey).

The embassy survey

Sweden is very well known (5 out of 5*)and is associated with elks, forests, thecold, Astrid Lindgren, Henning Mankell,IKEA, the midnight sun, gender equality,beautiful women, sparsely populated andheavily taxed. Austrians have a very posi-tive attitude (5 out of 5) towards Sweden,and feel that the Swedes are skilled, cor-rect, polite, linguistically accomplished,musical and inclined to drink. Cultureclashes are not to be found. The best-known brands are IKEA, Ericsson, Volvo,Radisson SAS, Husqvarna and H&M. Theproducts are considered modern, hi-techand functional, and investment inSweden is considered a profitable ven-ture. Austrians like the idea of visitingSweden as tourists, attracted by contactwith nature, the special light, the tran-quillity and the culture. They are aware ofcertain traditions, food, music and films.In the historical field, they know of theViking era, the Vasa era, the Thirty YearWar and the welfare state. In the political

sphere, they are familiar with the royalfamily, neutrality, EU entry and the 2001presidency, the pension reform and thedecision to remain outside EMU. ForAustrians, Sweden is a model welfaresociety. The media generally presentSweden in a favourable light. Personali-ties: Astrid Lindgren, Anna Lindh, theroyal family, Henning Mankell and AlfredNobel.

The embassy survey

Sweden is fairly unknown (2 out of 5),associated with the 1958 World Cup infootball, lorries, sparsely populated, a coldnorthern country with a high suicide rate.Those who are familiar with Sweden takea favourable or highly favourable view ofthe country (4 out of 5) and regard it as avery good place to live. The Swedes areviewed as politely reserved but well edu-cated and possessing a high work ethic.The best-known companies are Volvo,Ericsson, Scania, Electrolux and Sandvik.Those who are familiar with Swedishproducts consider them to be of highquality. Favourably disposed to Swedishinvestments in Brazil. Sweden exotic as a

tourist destination. Interest in Swedishpop music. Best-known Swedes outsidepop and sports: Ingmar and IngridBergman, Saint Birgitta, Queen Silvia andAlfred Nobel.

The study

Sweden has a “highly respectable image”,but most people in fact know little aboutthe country. For some, however, it is theperfect society. Certain Swedish productsare thought to be Brazilian, includingScania. Personalities: Olof Palme, CarlBildt, Ingmar Bergman, Ingrid Bergman,and Greta Garbo.

The embassy survey

Sweden is fairly well known (4 out of 5)through its ice hockey, IKEA, Volvo andpossibly Absolut Vodka. Otherwise, onlyspecialists have in-depth knowledge ofthe country. A fairly positive (4 out of 5)image. The similarities are greater thanthe dissimilarities. The best-knownbrands are Volvo, Saab, IKEA andHusqvarna chainsaws. Products thoughtto be of high quality. Unknown as aninvestment country, can imagine going to

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Austria8.1 million inhabitants

Brazil184.1 million inhabitants

Canada32.5 million inhabitants

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* On a 5-point scale, 1 is unknown and 5 isvery well known.

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Sweden as a tourist. Knowledge ofSwedish culture confined to IngmarBergman and ABBA. Familiar with theinternational role of Hans Blix and UNactivities. The media are often favourablydisposed. Personalities: Olof Palme, HansBlix, Anna Lindh and Ingmar Bergman,plus Börje Salming and other hockeystars.

The embassy survey

Sweden relatively unknown (1 in 5), asso-ciated with Volvo, Jan-Ove Waldner andbeautiful countryside. People have afavourable image (4-5 out of 5) and alsoview the Swedes in a positive light.Culture clashes do of course exist, butcooperation works smoothly on thewhole. The best-known brands are Volvo,IKEA, Ericsson, ABB and SAS, but amongyoung urbanites only Volvo and IKEA.Those who know of them are favourablydisposed to Swedish products, which areexclusive and of high quality but expen-sive. In general, Sweden is uncharted ter-ritory for investors, considered expensive.Know nothing about Swedish culture,history or domestic politics. Appreciate

Sweden’s international role and the factthat it was the first country to recognisethe People’s Republic. Among the Chinaelite, there is interest in and possibly evenadmiration for the Swedish model.Personalities: Jan-Ove Waldner, AlfredNobel and ABBA. Not very much aboutSweden in the media.

The study

While Sweden is no longer as special as itwas prior to EU entry, it is still of interestdue to its welfare reforms and its taxes. Inenlightened circles, the Chinese arefamiliar with the welfare society andenvironment protection, and Sweden’sreputation as a peace-loving people.What distinguishes Sweden is that it iswell organised not only among publicauthorities and private companies butalso deep in the Swedish mind. TheSwedes have cold faces but warm hearts.High quality and high prices are a mark ofSwedish products. Everyone who workswith lorries, for instance, knows thatVolvo represents the highest quality.Sweden is not a hot region for Chineseinvestment but has a good reputation inthe fields of telecom and IT. Sweden is ayoung country with a culture that liessomewhere between the Vikings and hi-tech. The Nobel prizes are popular fea-tures, and parents urge their children to

study hard so that they will win one ofthe awards. Jan-Ove Waldner is very wellknown, and Swedish pop music is big inChina. The East India Voyager Project isimportant.

The embassy survey

Sweden is very well known (5 out of 5),mainly for its social security system/wel-fare state. Czechs take a highly positiveview of Sweden (5 out of 5), only slightlyless favourable than that of the Slovaks,according to regular opinion surveys. Noculture clashes except in the way peopleview gender equality, ethics and morality.The best-known companies are IKEA,Electrolux, Skanska, Ericsson, Volvo, Saaband Gripen. The products are consideredof high standard/quality. Favourably dis-posed to investments, which are consid-ered safe. Many would be prepared to hol-iday in Sweden, but the place is expen-sive. The unspoiled countryside is themain attraction. Familiar with our popmusic, design, films and to some extentour literature, and also with the ThirtyYear War and the war loot, i.e. the Silver

China1,298.8 million inhabitants

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Bible. Know little about Sweden’s domes-tic or foreign policies apart from theSwedish model. Media interest in Swedenis limited, but the pension system is seenas a good model. Personalities: IngmarBergman, Astrid Lindgren, Alfred Nobel,Olof Palme and perhaps also Anna Lindh.

The embassy survey

Sweden is very well known (5 out of 5)and people take a favourable view of thecountry (4 out of 5). The Swedes are con-sidered helpful, engaging and open toother cultures, while Sweden itself isregarded as a ‘country of prohibitions’.There are many similarities but there arealso some surprising differences. Thebest-known brands are IKEA, Ericsson,H&M, Volvo and Saab. Swedish productsdenote quality. Very favourably disposedto investments in Sweden, which isviewed as a domestic market, rapidgrowth in the Öresund region. Five out often think it likely they will holiday inSweden. Danes read a number of Swedishauthors such as Henning Mankell,Kerstin Ekman and P O Engquist, can

name actors and pop bands. Can followSwedish domestic politics via the media.Sweden is viewed as a natural partner inthe EU, the UN and other internationalforums, and also as a ‘benchmark coun-try’.

The embassy survey

Sweden is very well known (5 out of 5) asa neighbour, a competitor and a partner,and Finns have a fairly or highly positiveattitude to Sweden (4-5 out of 5). Fewother countries in the world are so closelyfamiliar. Swedes are regarded as being“like us”, but weaker and not so good atmaking decisions. Culture clashes occurin the business world. The best-knowncompanies are Nordea, TeliaSonera(thought to be Finnish), Volvo, IKEA,Ericsson and H&M. Products are good aslong as they do not compete with Finnishones, references to Nordic quality. Goodinvestment country. Highly likely to visitSweden as tourists. Finns know a tremen-dous amount about Swedish culture andare very familiar with the two countries’common history. Extensive coverage of

Swedish domestic politics in the media.Sweden is OK in its international role buta bit weak – it places its trust in theFinnish defence – and unnecessarily cau-tious in remaining outside EMU. Veryextensive media coverage. Best-knownpersonalities: the Swedish royal family,Astrid Lindgren, Anna Lindh, Sweden’snational ice hockey team, Gustav Vasa,Selma Lagerlöf, Ingmar Bergman, ABBAand numerous sports stars.

The Swedish teacher survey

The first things the Swedish languageteachers thought of when they heard theword Sweden were, in descending order,Stockholm, the royal family, the language,neighbouring country, culture, welfare,friends and relatives, cultural diversityand the countryside. The best things werethe language, the culture, the proximity,the similarity with Finland, the beautyand Stockholm. The worst things werethe Swedes’ arrogance, big brother ten-dencies, the high proportion of immi-grants, the failure to introduce the euroand the difficulty of reaching decisions.The five best-known brands were Volvo,Ericsson, IKEA, Arla and H&M. As visi-tors, the teachers were attracted byStockholm, the culture, the language, thecountryside and Sweden’s proximity. Thebest-known personalities were Göran

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Persson, Olof Palme, Anna Lindh, AstridLindgren and August Strindberg.

On the question of what the Swedishlanguage teachers believed their pupilsthought of when they heard the wordSweden, the most common answers werethe Finland-Sweden ferries, the language(including ‘compulsory Swedish’), musicand films, Stockholm, sports meetingsbetween the two countries, the royal fam-ily and homosexuals. Regarding Swedes:don’t know any, positive image, preju-diced, Swedes are like Finns, Swedes con-sider themselves superior. The pupils werepredominantly in favour of learningSwedish although some were against itand the boys could be difficult to moti-vate.

The study

Sweden has always been one of the mostimportant countries for Finland, e.g. interms of history, Swedish minority, dur-ing the Cold War, and the close resem-blance to Finland – constant comparison.The Swedes seek security, the culture ofconsensus is different. Swedish productsare good, found everywhere in Finland.As tourists, Finns know little aboutSweden beyond Stockholm. Swedishdomestic politics different from Finnishin many respects. The Swedish model isliving – the whole approach, the way of

life and social planning are all based on it.Sweden’s international position has beenweakened since the euro referendum. Thecultural scene is more extensive than inFinland. Personalities: Ingmar Bergman,ABBA, Olof Palme and the Wallenbergs.

The embassy survey

Sweden is fairly well known (3 out of 5)among ordinary French citizens, associatedwith such concepts as welfare state, tech-nology, nature and national wealth.Favourable image – probably 4 out of 5among those who have any opinion in thematter. The Swedes are considered serious,reliable, competent, straightforward, envi-ronmentally aware – perhaps a little coldand lacking in spontaneity. Complicationsas regards business culture. The best-known brands are IKEA, Ericsson, Volvo,Saab and H&M. High quality. For invest-ment purposes, Sweden is seen as a small,sophisticated market, a base for the Scan-dinavian market as a whole. Stockholm(for weekend trips) and Lapland are attrac-tive tourist propositions.

Ingmar Bergman is widely known, well-

read people in France know of AugustStrindberg, Selma Lagerlöf and HenningMankell. The well educated are familiarwith the Vikings, the great power era,Bernadotte and Sweden’s policy of neu-trality. Know little about Swedish domes-tic politics beyond welfare and high taxes,generally aware that Swedes areEurosceptics. Favourable media image,particularly as regards research, socialissues and manufacturing. Best-knownSwedes Ingmar Bergman, Alfred Nobel,Björn Borg, Carolina Klüft, CrownPrincess Victoria and ABBA.

The study

Sweden is in the margins of Europe.Characterised by a willingness to compro-mise, anxious to avoid conflict. Genderequality informs all areas. The Swedesappear cold but there is warmth, verycarefully controlled. Complicated self-image, want to be humble but feel theyknow slightly more than others. Goodproducts and design. The ‘everlasting’Swedish model is progressing and beingrevitalised, and is of interest to certainFrench people – including cabinet minis-ters – in such areas as road safety, disabil-ity policy, labour market collaboration,pensions and the month of parental leavereserved for fathers (‘dad’s month’).Sweden adopts a British attitude to the

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EU without a direction of its own – lackslong-term objectives. Ingmar Bergmanand ABBA are the big names in theSwedish cultural field.

The embassy survey

Given its size, Sweden is surprisingly wellknown in Germany. Germans associate itprimarily with nature, beautiful country-side, forests and water, plenty of space andan unspoiled environment. But they alsothink of the Swedish welfare state andhigh tax levels. For the most part, they arefavourably disposed to Sweden and alsoview Swedes in a predominantlyfavourable light. Some marginal cultureclashes exist. Germans are mainly famil-iar with IKEA, Volvo, Saab, H&M andEricsson, and have a fundamental beliefin Swedish companies and businesspeo-ple. The products are associated with tra-dition, quality and design. An interestinginvestment country in many respects. Bytradition, Sweden has been an importanttourist destination among Germans, andthe numbers are increasing. Those inter-ested in culture are familiar with Swedish

films, music and literature; they read clas-sic Swedish authors, and HenningMankell has become a really big name.Know a great deal about Swedish history,especially the Thirty Year War. Well edu-cated Germans know something aboutSwedish domestic politics, while the wel-fare state is a familiar theme, knownnowadays for its gender equality policyand childcare facilities in particular. Ingeneral, the German media treat Swedenwell. Personalities: Gustav II Adolf,August Strindberg, Selma Lagerlöf, HansBlix and Henning Mankell.

The study

Sweden is well known at all levels of soci-ety and in all parts of the country.Northern Germany is our only footholdon the European continent, yet weSwedes neglect the country almost totally.Germans associate us with the royal fam-ily, nature, certain authors, sport, somepop music figures, and elks, forest, free-dom, the right of common access to thecountryside, and house purchases inSmåland. Sweden can make dreams cometrue. Germans take a positive view ofSweden: 8-9 on a 10-point scale. The bestthings are the country’s openness, trans-parency, comfort and stability. The worstfeatures are Sweden’s climate and socialcontrols. Germans take a favourable view

of the Swedes, who they find friendly,pleasant, naive, starry eyed and introvert.Characteristic of the Swedes is their pen-chant for moderation in all things. TheSwedish consensus mentality gives rise toculture clashes in the business field and inworking life, where it is felt that Swedesnever come to a decision. “It’s like a rub-ber wall with no rebound.” Swedes basi-cally think that everything they have isbest and that what comes from without isdangerous.

Swedish products denote high quality,expertise and service-mindedness, as wellas great technical skill, and they arerobust, safe and reliable. But Sweden is nolonger automatically associated with qual-ity – it has to prove itself each time. IKEAis noted for deliberately emphasising itsSwedishness. Investments may be inter-esting, but the markets of the future are tobe found in Eastern Europe. Some 1.7 mil-lion German tourists already visit Sweden,but the potential is much greater. Nature,the wide open spaces and the legendaryelks are the main attraction. A large num-ber of Swedish cultural practitioners arewell known to the German public, headedby three icons: Ingmar Bergman, AstridLindgren and Henning Mankell. Germansin general are tremendously interestedand often know more about Swedish his-tory than we do ourselves, so we are often

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bettered in discussions. Swedish domesticpolitics are perceived as consensus-orient-ed, polite and tedious, and Germans areaware of the reformed Swedish model.Besides those mentioned above, well-known Swedish personalities includeGustav Vasa, Gustav II Adolf, Gustav III,Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, GöranPersson, Anna Lindh, Ingrid Bergman andthe heads of IKEA and Vattenfall.

The embassy survey

Sweden is fairly well known (4 out of 5)and is associated principally with the wel-fare model. Hungarians take a very posi-tive view of Sweden (5 out of 5), althoughSwedes and Scandinavians in general arethought cold and remote and too fond ofalcohol. Among the positive symbols areRaoul Wallenberg, Sweden’s actions in1956 and Gripen. No major culture clash-es, but Hungarians are more formal andmore hierarchical. The best-knownbrands are IKEA, Electrolux, Volvo, Saab,Ericsson and Gripen. Regarded as beingof high quality and reliable. Too cold andexpensive to holiday in Sweden. Swedish

culture relatively unknown except forpop music groups and Nils Holgersson.Know nothing about Swedish history anddomestic politics, except for the welfaremodel. The media treat Sweden very well.Personalities: Raoul Wallenberg, IngmarBergman, Olof Palme, Björn Borg andAnna Lindh.

The embassy survey

The urban, well-educated, English-speak-ing minority – amounting to a few dozenor perhaps a hundred million – tend toview Sweden either in a negative lightbased on the Bofors Affair and ‘sinful liv-ing’ or in a positive light, based on wel-fare, justice, social responsibility and suc-cessful aid projects. Sweden is littleknown (1–2 out of 5). On the whole,favourably disposed to the Swedes. Anumber of culture clashes are to be found.Swedish brands better known thanSweden itself, including SonyEricsson,Volvo, Electrolux, Tetra Pak and Oriflame.Quality and good design, Volvo buseswidely known. Sweden unknown as aninvestment country outside the IT sector.

Well-off Indians can conceive of visitingSweden as an exotic, beautiful and cleantourist destination. In the cultural field,only Ingmar Bergman is known. In edu-cated circles, Indians are familiar withSweden’s non-alignment, UN role andsolidarity with the Third World. The fivebest-known personalities are AlfredNobel, Ingmar Bergman, Björn Borg, OlofPalme and ABBA. A comparatively largeamount is written about Sweden – most-ly about Swedish enterprise.

The embassy survey

Sweden is fairly or very widely known(4–5 out of 5) as an efficient, modern wel-fare state, and as the country that pro-duced ABBA. The Irish have a fairly posi-tive attitude (4 out of 5) towards Sweden,and consider the Swedes well organisedand efficient. The best-known brands areVolvo – symbolising safety and security –Ericsson, IKEA, Saab and ABBA. Qualityand reliability. Unknown as an invest-ment country. Exotic place to visit fortourists seeking the outdoor life. Knowlittle about Swedish culture – Ingmar

Hungary10 million inhabitants

India1,065 million inhabitants

Ireland3.9 million inhabitants

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Bergman, the Nobel prizes and ABBA,whose musical ‘Mamma Mia’ has been abig hit in Dublin. Familiar with theVikings and possibly with Sweden’s workin the UN and non-alignment. Sporadiccoverage by the media. Personalities:Henrik Larsson, Annika Sörenstam,ABBA, Sven-Göran Eriksson andHenning Mankell.

The study

The Irish know Sweden as a liberal demo-cracy that respects human rights, defendscollective agreements and had adopted aflexible model. They think of Saab andHans Blix: fair, resolute and impartial. Ourbest characteristics are problem-solving, arational attitude and consensus. Balancebetween the economy and a liberal social-welfare system. Not an aggressive nation.The worst aspects are the suicide rate, alco-hol and the climate, feel we are dogmaticabout our successes and find it difficult tolearn from others. Sceptical towards therest of Europe. The Swedes are friendly,open but dogmatic, not very warm, alwaysbegin with facts, too logical and analytical;not driven by passion or conviction. Youhave to work hard to get to know Swedes.Personalities: Olof Palme, DagHammarskjöld, Hans Blix, Sven-GöranEriksson, Göran Persson, Alfred Nobel,Björn Borg and Ingmar Bergman.

The embassy survey

Sweden is fairly well known (4 out of 5),with Ingmar Bergman, Anita Ekberg, wel-fare and the Nobel prizes as the best-known symbols. Italians have a fairly pos-itive (4 out of 5) attitude and view theSwedes with respect, curiosity and adesire to know more. A multitude of cul-ture clashes. The most written-aboutcompanies are IKEA, Volvo, Saab,Ericsson and Tetra Pak. High quality andinnovative technology. Can very wellimagine visiting Sweden as a tourist,attracted by such exotic phenomena asthe ice hotel, unspoiled nature and a well-ordered society. In the cultural sphere,Ingmar Bergman and design. Familiarwith the Swedish model. We havebecome a little more like the other coun-tries of Europe. Usually treatedfavourably by the media. Personalities:Alfred Nobel, Ingmar Bergman, AnitaEkberg, Olof Palme and Nils Liedholm.

The embassy survey

The vast majority possess no particularimage of Sweden. But a surprisingly largenumber have a broad and deep under-standing of our country. Among somegroups, Sweden is very well known (5 outof 5), among others hardly at all (1 in 5).Many associate Sweden with welfare,environment and design. Those with animage of Sweden are very favourably dis-posed (5 out of 5) and see Swedes as talland blonde. Culture clashes exist. Thebest-known brands are Volvo, AbuGarcia, Hasselblad and, increasingly,IKEA. Pleased with Swedish products. Asan investment country, Sweden is per-ceived as both hi-tech and high-cost, witha strong scientific image, thanks to theNobel prizes. Can imagine visiting as atourist, attracted by the Northern Lights,the ice hotel and Stockholm. Some knowa lot about Swedish culture, history andthe models for pension reform, care ofthe elderly and disabled, childbirth, child-care, gender equality and environment.Most know nothing. The Japanese appre-ciate Sweden’s efforts on behalf of peacevia the UN and development cooperation.

Italy58 million inhabitants Japan

127,3 million inhabitants

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Media treatment impressively favourable.Personalities: Lena-Maria, Astrid Lind-gren, Ingmar and Ingrid Bergman, ABBA,Cardigans and Nobel.

The study

People in Japan know that Sweden is awelfare society – 10 or 15 years ago it wasconsidered fantastic, today a more bal-anced view is taken. The Japanese knowabout Sweden and are obsessed with theNobel prizes. The free sex image datingfrom the 1960s still persists. What distin-guishes Sweden, apart from the cold, isthat it looks after people in difficulties.The state takes responsibility, rather thanthe family/individual. The Japanese arevery favourably disposed to Swedish prod-ucts, with their pure lines and sophisticat-ed designs. Feel that Sweden has becomeless interesting – it used to play a largerpart. Discovering more and more Swedishculture, which is considered wide-ranging.

The embassy survey

Sweden is very well known (5 out of 5)and is chiefly associated with the Nobel

prizes, the King, welfare, nature and thearchipelago. Sweden has a highlyfavourable image (5 out of 5), as have theSwedes. No culture clashes. The best-known brands are IKEA, Electrolux,Volvo, ABBA, Roxette and Tele2. Feel thatthe quality is high but the products areexpensive. Sweden is the leading countryfor investments in Latvia. Can imaginevisiting Sweden as a tourist, attracted byits countryside, archipelago, the VasaMuseum and pop music. Familiar withour culture, history and aspects of ourdomestic politics. Mixed treatment in themedia. Personalities: Alfred Nobel,Ingmar Bergman, Laila Freivalds, ABBA,Roxette, the royal family och AnnaLindh.

The embassy survey

Sweden is very well known (5 out of 5)and mainly calls to mind nature, the wel-fare society and cars. The Dutch take afairly positive view of Sweden (4 out of 5)and feel the Swedes are businesslike but abit boring. On many issues, we are ‘like-minded’. Culturally, the Dutch differ in

that they are individualitic and mistrustthe authorities, while the Swedes areviewed as more collectivist and compli-ant. The best-known companies areIKEA, Volvo, Saab, Ericsson and H&M.All have good reputations. Veryfavourably disposed to investment inSweden. The fifth largest group oftourists to Sweden, attracted by ournature, space and tranquillity. Swedishcinema and theatre are well known, and a‘Swedish wave’ has been under way in theliterary field since the 1990s. Familiarwith the welfare state, although theimage is somewhat outdated. Today, theNetherlands’ own social benefits areoften more generous than Swedish bene-fits. The Dutch media generally treatSweden favourably. Personalities: AstridLindgren, August Strindberg, AlfredNobel, Ingmar Bergman and a host ofsports and pop stars.

The embassy survey

Sweden is very well known (5 out of 5)and is viewed principally as a good neigh-bour. Very positive attitude (5 out of 5).

Latvia2.3 million inhabitants

Netherlands16.3 million inhabitants

Norway4.5 million inhabitants

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The Swedes were once Norway’s ‘bigbrother’, but no longer. The two are nowon a par. More culture clashes than onemight expect. The best-known brands areIKEA, H&M, Volvo, Saab and AbsolutVodka. Great respect for Sweden’s inter-national expertise. Interesting countryfor investors. Many buy homes inSweden. The largest tourist group inSweden, attracted by the good life such aseating well, shopping and visiting adven-ture parks. More familiar with Swedishculture, via TV, than many Swedes. Veryfamiliar with our common history andrelatively informed about Swedishdomestic politics. Watching Sweden’s EUmembership with considerable interest.Sweden is treated very favourably by theNorwegian media. Norwegians know thenames of hundreds of Swedish personali-ties, including Astrid Lindgren, CarlMichael Bellman and Evert Taube.

The study

The Norwegians know more aboutSweden than we do about Norway.Sweden is always an important topic.Characteristic for the Norwegian view isthat Sweden’s grandeur has faded, that weare still the Nordic leaders but only aminor state in Europe – we would like tobe more important than we are. Classsociety in Sweden is more explicit.

Swedes are decent people but cautiousabout making decisions. Have lofty ideaabout themselves but are now comingback to earth. Greed aside, Swedish com-panies and products have a positiveimage: Volvo, Saab and Ericsson are typi-cal in this respect. Good country forNorwegians to invest in. Sweden’s domes-tic politics are interesting to follow. Did agood job as EU president. Pop music themost prominent cultural feature.Personalities: Ingvar Kamprad, GöranPersson, Anna Lindh, Ingmar Bergmanand football players.

The embassy survey

Sweden is very well known (5 out of 5)and is associated with social security,quality, wealth (expensive), gender equal-ity, nature and sex. A very positive (5 outof 5) image. The Poles regard the Swedesas humanitarian, stiff, honest, upright,equal (gender), obedient, friendly butwithout much humour and lacking reli-gious faith. Many fundamental cultureclashes. The best-known brands are

IKEA, Volvo, Skanska, Scania andVin&Sprit. Quality, durability and highprices. Investment is not an option.Happy to visit Sweden as tourists, attract-ed by the countryside, unspoiled environ-ment and safety and security. Poles knowmuch more about Sweden than vice versa.Regarded as a ‘paradise’ during Poland’syears as a dictatorship. Ingmar Bergmanvery famous. Know much about our com-mon history. Favourably disposed toSweden’s international role but uninter-ested in our EU work. The Swedish modelis a magical concept. Personalities:Sigismund III, Olof Palme, Alfred Nobel,Ingmar Bergman and Astrid Lindgren.

The study

Sweden is well known – some 70,000Poles live in Stockholm. Sweden is viewedas a country rich in both myth andmoney, with substantial social benefits. Itis characterised by great tolerance in allareas, all aspects. It differs in that thereare no political tensions, the oppositionlacks guts. Swedes avoid confrontation.They are too keen on consensus, friendly,you never learn the truth because peopledon’t want to offend you, preferring cau-tion. Sweden is a planned society, there isno scope for imagination or improvisa-tion. The Swedes can be annoyinglysmug. Sweden has grown less secure in

Poland38.6 million inhabitants

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recent years, with a tougher climate. TheSwedes, however, have become less intro-vert, more inclined to open up.

The embassy survey

Sweden is fairly well known (4 out of 5),and the first things Russians associate itwith are the Swedish model, ice hockey,free sex and high quality goods. Russianstake a very positive view of Sweden (5 outof 5) and insofar as they have met Swedesthey consider them quiet, punctual, thor-ough, hard-working, (exaggeratedly) law-abiding and a bit boring. Culture clashesoccur over management styles. The best-known brands are Volvo, IKEA, Electro-lux, Ericsson and Absolut Vodka. Theproducts represent quality and reliability,and are both safe and robust. The invest-ment attitude is unclear. Many Russiantourists make shopping trips to Stock-holm and travel to the mountains. In thecultural field, they know of AstridLindgren, the Vikings, Ingmar Bergmanand Selma Lagerlöf, and in the historicalfield Karl XII and Sweden’s extended peri-od of peace. The Swedish model was

praised to the skies during the Soviet era.Regarded as an active UN state but due toEU membership has lost its former inde-pendence in the foreign policy arena.Generally treated favourably in the media.Personalities: Astrid Lindgren, AlfredNobel, Karl XII, ABBA and Olof Palme.

The study

The old images dominate – social issues,sex, suicide, model society and socialism.Considered calm, safe and secure. Alsoconsidered a beautiful country that likessport. Has shrunk in international staturesince the days of Dag Hammarskjöld andOlof Palme. The Swedes are kind-hearted,and Swedish society is people-oriented.Swedes, however, like to lecture others;they criticise Sweden themselves butobject when others do so. Gender equali-ty, with female representation in theRiksdag, means the place is a true paradisefor women. Sweden has forfeited much ofits international role since joining the EU.Personalities: Alfred Nobel, ABBA,Roxette, Olof Palme – what a great man!,Astrid Lindgren, Ingmar Bergman, whosefilms are constantly being screened,Greta Garbo, Björn Borg, ice hockey andGunde Svan.

The embassy survey

Spaniards seem to be reasonably aware ofSweden (3 out of 5). The first things thatcome to mind are the welfare model, fol-lowed by gender equality, the cold andSwedish tourists, while those interestedin culture think of Ingmar Bergman andHenning Mankell. Spaniards take a fairlypositive view of Sweden (3 out of 5) andregard the Swedes as well educated butremote. Culture clashes in relation todaily (circadian) rhythm and language.The best-known brands are IKEA, Volvoand Ericsson. H&M are well known butnot as a Swedish concern. Swedish com-panies are felt to be sophisticated with ahigh code of ethics, and the products areconsidered high quality. Would be happyto visit Sweden as tourists, attracted bythe country’s modernity, countryside andthe midnight sun. The Nobel prizes andpop music groups, led by ABBA, are wellknown, as is the Cullberg dance company.The Swedish model is well known andadmired. Spaniards know that Swedishpublic opinion tends towards theEurosceptical Personalities: Olof Palme,

Russia148.7 million inhabitants

Spain40.2 million inhabitants

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Ingmar Bergman, Astrid Lindgren,Henrik Larsson and Greta Garbo, and theroyal family. The media tend to focus onSweden surprisingly often, and present itin a favourable light.

The embassy survey

Sweden is very well known (5 out of 5)and is mainly associated with IKEA,ABBA, Volvo, neutrality, openness andspacious countryside. Very positive atti-tude (5 out of 5). The Swedes are thoughtto be liberal, equal (gender), innovativeand depressed. Cultural differences instyle and in working life. The best-knownbrands are IKEA, Ericsson, H&M, Volvoand Saab. The products are consideredgood value. Investors view Sweden as acountry of high taxes with a socialist gov-ernment, but where the labour marketworks well for women. Swiss tourists canimagine visiting Sweden, drawn by itsnature and the waters around Stockholm.Familiar with three cultural spheres: popmusic, thrillers (books) and – in particu-lar – Astrid Lindgren. Home of theVikings. The EU presidency. Sweden is

known as a welfare state, socially stableand offering paternity leave. Personalities:Queen Silvia, Anna Lindh, Björn Borg,Olof Palme and Anita Ekberg. The mediaare favourably inclined. Sweden is thebest known of the Nordic countries.

The embassy survey

Sweden is moderately well known (3 outof 5) and is chiefly associated with IKEA,Volvo, Sven-Göran Eriksson, ABBA,meatballs and Akvavit vodka. The Britishtake a fairly positive view of Sweden (3out of 5) and regard the Swedes as reli-able, punctual, a bit boring, nature lovers,honest, diplomatic, shy (before you get toknow them), interested in design andtheir home environments, and with arelaxed attitude to sex and nudity. Fewculture clashes. The best-known brandsare IKEA, Volvo, Saab, Absolut Vodka andH&M, and all tend to have a favourableimage. An interesting but limited marketfor investors. A close but out-of-the-waydestination for ‘city breaks’. Know littleabout Swedish culture, although some arefamiliar with Ingmar Bergman, August

Strindberg, Astrid Lindgren and HenningMankell. Vikings and neutrality. Knownfor our welfare state. Convergence ofinterests in the EU. Personalities: Sven-Göran Eriksson, ABBA, Björn Borg,Ulrika Jonsson, and among young peoplethe Hives och Cardigans.

The study

As in all else, what people know aboutSweden depends on their class affiliation.‘Svennis’ has done much for Sweden’simage among the working class. Swedenis better known than the other Nordiccountries, Austria or the Netherlands. InBritish eyes, Sweden is characterised byits social democratic system, its welfaresociety, its gender equality and its spirit ofconsensus. The first thing people associ-ate with Sweden is sex, sex and sex, fol-lowed by modernity, progressive thinking,rationality and high taxes, the cold andthe European periphery. People are on thewhole favourably disposed to Sweden.The Swedes are responsible, live up toexpectations, dutiful, they deliver whatthey promise and are democratic and welleducated but introvert when they are notdrunk. They like to impress their viewson the world: “In Sweden we do it likethis”. They can be very self-satisfied,while at the same time unwilling to mar-ket their country as aggressively as others

Switzerland7.4 million inhabitants UK

60.2 million inhabitants

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do. Culture clashes become more apparentthe longer one lives in the country – “weare amazingly dissimilar”. The British aremuch more polite, the Swedes are consid-ered blunt, too direct and insensitive tothe subtleties of the English language.

Volvo and Saab are held in great esteem.Good engineering. Design, quality assur-ance. IKEA are different, cheap withoutbeing poor in quality. The comparativelyfew who know about the investment cli-mate are favourably disposed, but peopleare reluctant to move to chilly Sweden.Difficult to tempt British tourists to headnorth, but Sweden is underrated andunknown as a tourist country, althoughgrowing numbers are discovering it.Ingmar Bergman and ABBA are the mainartistic icons, otherwise only specialistsknow about Swedish culture. Football,particularly Sven-Göran Eriksson’s much-publicised approach, has come to symbol-ise the Swedish way: efficient, friendly,dreary, and with an energetic sex life. TheVikings, Karl XII and neutrality are all theBritish know about Swedish history. Theyknow virtually nothing about Swedishdomestic politics except for certainaspects of the Swedish model, such aschildcare. Sweden is considered very simi-lar to the UK in EU contexts. The mediatreat Sweden in a prejudiced way, butwith humour.

The embassy survey

Familiarity with Sweden varies betweendifferent sections of American society. Ingeneral, the country is little known or, inthe case of the majority, totally unknown(1 in 5). Americans think of Europe, snowand cold, Annika Sörenstam, Volvo, Saab,Absolut Vodka, Björn Borg, ABBA, theHives, the ‘decaying’ welfare state, theclean environment and the Nobel prizes;in New York, Ingmar Bergman as well,and in Los Angeles neutrality, blondesand beautiful countryside. Four out offive have a fairly positive attitude toSweden, while in New York, among thosewho are familiar with it, it is consideredeither a socialist country or the promisedland (3 out of 5). Swedes have a good rep-utation as a result of the many Swedishimmigrants in the US, and are consideredhonest, industrious, god-fearing and suc-cessful settlers. In New York, the old prej-udices live on – Swedes are suicide-prone,gloomy and promiscuous. Culture clashesare sometimes found in a number ofareas: bureaucracy, short-term thinking,focus on the individual, religiosity, con-

flict solving, the death penalty, commer-cialism and ethnic origin.

The best-known brands are IKEA,Absolut Vodka, Volvo, Saab and AnnikaSörenstam. Those who are familiar withthe products associate them with highquality and safety; in Los Angeles, peopleadd design. Sweden is well thought ofamong those considering investments.Americans can very well imagine visitingSweden as tourists, attracted by an exotic,modern and highly developed country butalso by its nature, environment and food.Swedish Americans are more interested intracing their ancestors. In the culturalsphere, Ingmar and Ingrid Bergman andABBA are best known, while young peopleare fairly familiar with Swedish pop music.Very few know anything about Swedishhistory. In general, Americans know noth-ing about Swedish domestic politics, but asmall, well-informed group are familiarwith the welfare state. The same is true ofSweden’s international role. Personalities:Raoul Wallenberg, Annika Sörenstam,Olof Palme, ABBA, Ingmar och IngridBergman, Björn Borg and Alfred Nobel.The media paint a realistic and correct pic-ture of Sweden; specialist journals writeabout design and music.

The study

Americans in general do not harbour any

USA293 million inhabitants

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images of Sweden, but images are to befound in certain sections of society andthe business sphere. Sweden is not verywell known, but better known than com-parable European states such as the other

Nordic countries, the Netherlands andAustria. People are reminded of BjörnBorg and Ingmar Bergman, cleanlinessand tidiness. The Nobel prizes are thebest-known symbol. People think of 1)

socialism, 2) attractive blonde women,and 3) the Vikings. Socialism aside,Americans have few unfavourable thingsto say about Sweden.

The Swedes are very direct, honest,helpful, reserved and not particularlyexpressive. Beautiful and blue-eyed. Theylike to be well prepared and dislike sur-prises. Some consider Swedes to be impo-lite and boorish when they fail to say‘please’ or to open doors for women.Swedes are also naive in believing that theway they do things at home cannot bebeaten – “we know how things should bedone” – which is likely to prove costly tothose wishing to establish a place forthemselves in the US. When Sweden’sposition in the world is no longer so self-evident, the country must come out andsay what it believes in. Swedes should fol-low the Americans’ example and learn tospeak in front of their class at school so asto overcome their shyness. Shyness is not ahelpful quality. Culture clashes are fre-quent – particularly vis-à-vis religiosity.Swedish business representatives are notas attuned to the importance of religionwhen they travel to the US as when theytravel to Muslim countries.

Swedish companies and products signi-fy quality and safety. This does not apply,however, to IKEA and H&M, both ofwhom stand for ‘cheap chic’. Volvo is a

The musical ‘Mamma Mia’ in New York.

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good example of why people chooseSwedish products: safe, utilitarian, envi-ronment-friendly – bought by people of acertain ideological leaning. Swedishdesign is characterised by precise crafts-manship, simplicity, Gustavian traditionand modernism. Americans’ interest ininvestment depends on their intentions –the different weight attached to A and Bshares represents an obstacle for institu-tional investors. Sweden is interesting asan exclusive tourist destination. ManyAmericans are interested in old things,which means it is important to mix theold with the new. For most of theAmericans interviewed, Swedish culturewas a blank page, as was history anddomestic politics. Among experts, howev-er, the Swedish model is well known.Sweden is thought to have a proud historyin the international arena, but it has notbeen as prominent there as during thepost-war period. EU membership, howev-er, has revived interest in Sweden andadded to our stature in the eyes of the USadministration.

One problem is that Sweden is fadingfrom the American consciousness, accord-ing to one Sweden watcher – after theSecond World War it was a special countrynoted for its steel, sporting figures andsocial agenda, but now others have caughtup. Sweden is no longer as unique as it

used to be; it now has to work to keep itsplace. Might do well to speak out insteadof just speaking to itself all the time.Sweden must work hard to market itself,otherwise people won’t be aware of itsexistence.

A European perspective

Brussels is an arena for the European dis-course and an interface with the memberstates. Besides the presence of the EUinstitutions, it has the largest gathering ofcorrespondents in the world, numberingalmost 1,000, and numerous think tanksand lobby organisations representing allmanner of interests.

Together, they provide a sort ofEuropean outlook on the world withoutthe customary national bias. The Brusselsperspective on Sweden’s image has adirect bearing on our ability to protect ourEuropean interests.

The study

Sweden is well known, an actor thateveryone talks about, which has to dowith our old image, according to Swedish

representatives. The 2001 presidency wasgiven high marks – everything worked.But by rejecting the euro, Sweden forfeit-ed a degree of trust, became sidelined andjoined the ‘B’ team. The Swedes areviewed as distant, reserved and introvert,and rather conventional. As a Swede, oneis very well received throughout Europe.Culture clashes are constantly to befound: Protestant/Catholic, Anglo-Saxon/Latin languages – Swedes have asomewhat shaky understanding of theLatin world, and also of Germany, whichought to be one of our closest friends. Weare considered more like the British or theDanish.

Sweden is associated with words andconcepts such as open, democratic, envi-ronmentally aware, high level of socialsecurity, big companies and arms exports,according to European representatives.Sweden has not entered into the work ofthe EU in the same spirit as Finland, whileat the same it lacks the experience ofDenmark and the UK. Sweden is not fullycommitted. The best thing about Swedenis that it is an open society committed tofreedom of expression and free markets, awell ordered society with little corruption.The worst thing is its political hubris.Swedes think theirs is the best socialmodel and that they have the best solu-tions. They cannot understand that others

BrusselsEU: 450 million inhabitants

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do not feel the same way, and are thereforeperceived as arrogant. What sets Swedenapart is its history, its neutrality and thefact that one party has held the reins ofpower for so long. The Swedes are veryopen, friendly, health-minded and polite,while at the same time being rather dis-tant, lonely and unable to fit in easily.

Among the leading Swedish brands, theEuropean representatives note IKEA,Volvo, Saab, Scania, handtools, design andBofors weapons. They are thought to givegood value for money and to be environ-ment-friendly and well designed. As aninvestment country, Sweden has advan-tages, with its openness, a solid infrastruc-ture, and a high level of education andunion affiliation, which makes for arobust, stable employment market.Disadvantages include cost levels and thefact that Sweden is outside the euro zone.Swedish nature and the environment areattractive to tourists, while the cold andthe prices are a deterrent. Familiar withIngmar Bergman and ABBA, feel other-wise that Swedish culture is ‘mainstream’.Know little about history, except thatSweden has long been an independentcountry, the Vikings, Hansan trading, thegreat power era and relations between theNordic countries.

European representatives know littleabout Sweden’s domestic politics apart

from the fact that the country is ruled bythe Social Democrats, and has been forthe past century, more or less, that theeconomy has been liberalised, and thatthere is a considerable gap between thepoliticians and the electorate over EUissues.

The Swedish model might better betermed the Nordic model nowadays and isthe most competitive model, deliveringyear after year. The core of Sweden’s inter-national role is its support for the UN, softagenda issues, development cooperationand neutrality. EU-scepticism is based onfear. The representatives’ view of Swedenhas not altered as a result of the eurorebuff, but they do not feel the ‘no’ votedid the country any good. Sweden hashelped change the culture in the EU: lessdirigiste, more open to the markets, freetrade, more open in general – less Franco-phone. Personalities: Göran Persson,Margot Wallström, Anna Lindh – who wasbigger than Sweden, Leif Pagrotsky, OlofPalme, Björn Borg, ABBA, Hans Rausing,Mr IKEA, Sven-Göran Eriksson, Carl Bildtand a number of football players. Alsomentioned are August Strindberg andHenrik Ibsen (Norwegian) – the negativeside: boring, dark and suicidal.

For European journalists, the Swedishrepresentation in Brussels – praised for itsaccessibility – and Swedish colleagues are

the best sources for information aboutSweden, along with the Financial Timesand the Economist. Swedish representativespoint out that Sweden only features regu-larly in major quality newspapers such asthe Financial Times, Frankfurter AllgemeineZeitung and Neue Zürcher Zeitung, all ofwhich are read by an elite and are the onlypapers that cover European events on acontinual basis. Liberation and Le Mondeoccasionally write about Sweden. On thearts pages, Sweden features in both theSüddeutsche Zeitung and the FrankfurterAllgemeine Zeitung.

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“The Swedes have cold facesbut warm hearts.”

Zhongua Liu, Folkets Dagblad

Summary and analysis ofSweden’s current image abroadValidity of the study

SASU is based not on scientific data but ratheron proven experience. Besides the traditionalmedia image, it draws on a questionnaire sur-vey of 25 Swedish missions abroad and on inter-views both with Swedish and foreign represen-tatives in six countries and with Stockholm-based correspondents from 13 countries. In thefollowing analysis, we have sought to weightogether the various images. This has notinvolved such precision that exact figures orpercentages can be cited in support of the vari-ous conclusions reached. Nevertheless, basedon the data at our disposal, we can make certainclaims and offer generalisations.

The selection of countries was based on anumber of different criteria. They include eightcountries in which we are particularly anxiousto promote Swedish trade both now and in the

future, and six countries that are suitable forcomparison with Sweden. In the embassy sur-vey, a further nine countries have been added.Overall, this means that the basis for conclu-sions varies in quality.

Who conveys Sweden’s image?

Sweden’s image abroad is made up of a widerange of impressions. Personal ones in the formof visits and contact with Swedes are funda-mental. As in most situations, what you havebeen told by someone you know – the mouth-to-mouth method – is of prime importance.The clichés (= sex) play a major role. Books readas children (Astrid Lindgren), teaching (theVikings), music (ABBA) and films (IngmarBergman) reinforce and add to the image. Inadult life, the image is further sharpened bysporting events (Björn Borg), cultural impres-

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sions such as books (Henning Mankell) and theNobel prizes, and particularly by consumption(IKEA and Volvo). The role of the media is pri-marily to update and confirm the image andprovide continuity – they gauge the ‘Swedishtemperature’ at any given time.

Besides the news agencies, only a few non-Nordic dailies offer regular coverage of Swedenon any great scale: the Financial Times,Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Neue ZürcherZeitung and possibly Le Monde. These papers areof major importance in communicatingSweden’s image to the economic and politicalelites, and they also influence the way othermedia perceive Sweden.

How well known is Sweden?

Prior to the fall of the Wall in 1989, Sweden hada number of unique advantages that helpedmake it visible to the world. Since then, compe-tition has grown very substantially, while at thesame time our entry into the EU has meant thatwe are now perceived as an ordinary minorEuropean state. Sweden’s image becomesblurred as the distance increases.

Our Nordic neighbours know us best. Thencomes Germany. But we are also very wellknown among new EU member states such asPoland, Latvia and the Czech Republic, as wellas among small West European countries likethe Netherlands and Switzerland. Among thelarger countries of Europe, we are fairly wellknown in Russia and Italy but only moderatelywell known in France, Spain and the UK. The

political elite in these latter countries, however,are fairly well informed about Swedish policiesin the social field.

Awareness of Sweden in the US is highly frag-mentary, and depends on geographical, educa-tional and ideological factors. In highly populat-ed countries like China, India and Brazil, only asmall elite have any knowledge of Sweden,while in Japan there are groups who are verywell informed about specialist areas. Non-Europeans – but also many in France and theUK – find it difficult to distinguish betweenScandinavia and Sweden, and also tend to con-fuse us with Switzerland. Although foreign rep-resentatives are not broadly familiar withSweden, they often know a considerableamount about events and developments in theirown sector.

To sum up, we here in Sweden are not as wellknown as we used to be, and perhaps not as wellknown as we think we are – but we are stillslightly better known than countries of a simi-lar size in the Nordic area and in Europe. WhereSweden has an image, it is either a favourable ora highly favourable one. While individual issuesor aspects of Swedish society have come in forcriticism, we have found no instances of Swedenas a whole being regarded in a negative light.

Common perceptions and clichés

The best-known things about Sweden are, indescending order: 1) welfare, 2) music, literatureand films – read ABBA, Astrid Lindgren andIngmar Bergman, 3) beautiful women and sex-

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ual liberation, 4) nature, 5) cars – primarilyVolvo, 6) sport, 7) IKEA, 8) good neighbours –applies to the Nordic countries, 9) the cold, 10)sparsely populated country, 11) neutrality, 12)meatballs, 13) alcohol, 14) Nobel, and 15) hightaxes and extensive prohibitions.

The best things about Sweden, according tothe foreign representatives interviewed, are ouropenness, transparency, ability to solve prob-lems, sensible governance regardless of whoholds office, combination of economic and wel-fare policies, stability, liberal approach in theEU, well-ordered society with little corruption,ability to modernise, to deliver to the market,neutrality and non-aggression, and our beauti-ful country. The worst things are the climate andthe dark, the expense, social controls, socialism,our hypocrisy over alcohol and arms sales, hightaxes and our conviction that we always havethe best solutions.

The clichés about Sweden are remarkably per-sistent: sex, blonde, blue-eyed, suicide and richare all terms that are still strongly associatedwith Sweden.

Images of Swedes

Abroad, people tend to view Swedes in afavourable light, but see both positive and neg-ative sides of their character. Positive: open, wellorganised, efficient, punctual (which is some-times a source of irritation), thorough, law-abiding (sometimes exaggeratedly so), well edu-cated, knowledgeable, pro-technology, modern,honest, reliable, correct, skilled in languages,

urbane, nature-loving, peace-loving, faithfulfriends, friendly, kind-hearted and possessing astrong work ethic. Negative: gloomy, lacking inhumour, rather boring, coldly remote, introvert,too controlled, provincial, impolite, boorish,naive, insensitive to the subtleties of the Englishlanguage, know-alls, impious, depressed, shy andtoo inclined to drink. Many have emphasisedthe strength of the consensus culture, which issaid to make it difficult for Swedes to reachdecisions.

Brands, investments and tourism

The following brands are referred to most:Volvo, IKEA, Saab, Ericsson, H&M, Electroluxand Absolut Vodka. These and some twentyother companies are known, but not necessari-ly as Swedish businesses. Only two companiesare associated unequivocally with a Swedishidentity: IKEA and Volvo. The concept ofSwedish quality apparently continues to apply.In most countries, Swedish products were asso-ciated with high quality and reliability, and alsowith good design.

Most of those interviewed found it difficultto see any point in investing in a small, remotemarket like Sweden, but on closer reflectionoften saw the advantages of a well educated andskilled labour force, a high level of technicalexpertise, good infrastructure, a well organisedand thus stable employment market and a safeand secure country.

With one exception, all said they would liketo visit Sweden as tourists, even if they regarded

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it as cold and expensive. What attracts them isthe exotic, particularly Sweden’s countryside,hip Stockholm and opportunities for shoppingand adventure. Those who have visitedStockholm found it underrated and called formore vigorous marketing. Tourism representsone of the most favourable Swedish images.

Culture, sport and history

There is only a limited awareness of Swedishculture: Ingmar Bergman, ABBA and the Nobelprizes are famous worldwide, while AstridLindgren is known in a number of countries, asis Henning Mankell. In addition, people arefamiliar with Swedes in their respective genres,e.g. opera. In the pop music world, there is aparallel with the product brands – many groupsare well known but not as Swedish artists.

In sports, people in general still rememberBjörn Borg’s triumphs around the world. Otherstars tend to be famous in a particular region orcountry: Annika Sörenstam is a superstar in theUS, Jan-Ove Waldner causes traffic jams inChina, Sven-Göran Eriksson is one of the mostwritten-about figures in the UK and adjoiningcountries, Sweden’s athletes are mostly knownin Europe and our football and ice hockey pro-fessionals are famous in the countries wherethey operate.

The Vikings and neutrality are among the fewthings people know about Swedish history. TheThirty Year War is known about on the conti-nent, and people in the Nordic countries arefamiliar with our common past.

Domestic politics, the Swedish model and Sweden’s international role

Besides the murders of Olof Palme and AnnaLindh, and the Social Democrats’ lengthy gov-ernment tenure, little is known about Swedishdomestic politics outside the Nordic area. Even

Swedish food atIKEA in the US.

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those who are not familiar with the term ‘theSwedish model’ tend to associate Sweden withwelfare policies, often seen through an ideolog-ical filter. In countries like Germany, France, theUK, Japan and Canada, the media, politiciansand think tanks have studied what might becalled ‘the new Swedish model’, i.e. solutions inthe pension system, parental insurance, child-care and care of the elderly and disabled, butalso in education, health care and road safety.

The Swedish model is still one of thestrongest aspects of Sweden’s image abroad.

Awareness of Sweden’s international roletends to vary considerably. Those who have anopinion in the matter say that Sweden’s role isnot as strong as it was after the Second WorldWar, but that the country still represents non-alignment, peace, a low-key mediation role,human rights and a pro-UN stance. Sweden’simage in relation to the EU is ambivalent.Everyone we talked to praised the 2001 presi-dency – a time when Sweden stood at thezenith. Sweden has helped change the culturein the EU, making it less dirigiste and moreopen to the market and free trade, and encour-aging greater openness in general. But our ‘no’in the euro referendum and the scepticismtowards Europe that is apparent among largesections of the population has caused many toquestion Sweden’s commitment. Our tendencyto feel that we know best is another source ofirritation.

Personalities, young people’s views and the media

The best-known Swedish personalities are, indescending order, Ingmar Bergman, AlfredNobel, Olof Palme, Anna Lindh, ABBA, AstridLindgren, Björn Borg, the royal family andSven-Göran Eriksson. In all, the list includessome 50 names.

As a rule, the embassies are in contact withpeople already established in society, and com-munication with young people – tomorrow’spolicymakers – is therefore not very extensive.This is also true of the selection used in thestudy. To the question of how young people’sviews about Sweden’s image differ from those ofadults, most of the embassies replied that youngpeople probably know less in general but knowmore about Swedish sport and pop music.Virtually no-one believes that Sweden’s imageabroad underwent change as a result of theevents of September 2003 – the murder of AnnaLindh and the anti-euro vote. That vote, howev-er, reinforced the image of Euroscepticism inSweden.

On the question of how Sweden is treated bythe media, the average reply was: not veryextensively, but favourably. Coverage amongour Nordic neighbours is extensive, but fewEuropean newspapers cover Sweden on a regu-lar basis. Most of them only report major eventsor developments, or write about Swedish busi-ness, travel or lifestyle. The general impressionis that Sweden receives more publicity thanother countries of a comparable size.

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“Sweden can hardly be said to have anegative image, rather a lack of image.”

John A Matel, State Department

Conclusions and reflectionsSweden’s image rests on old laurels

SASU shows pretty clearly that the outsideworld’s image of Sweden rests to a great extenton old laurels and clichés. Some new elementsshine through, however. The fact that thenational image is slow in changing is notunique to Sweden but is true of other countriesas well. It takes time for reality to establish animage that is visible to the world. Promotionbodies, therefore, must adopt a very long-termapproach if they want to establish a favourableimage. Experience from other countries showsthat it takes at least ten years to develop achanged or favourable image, whereas it takesvery little time to destroy a country’s reputa-tion or blacken its image.

Sweden has a predominantly favourableimage, so there is no reason to panic. But it mustbe carefully tended and staked out far into thefuture if it is to remain and be strengthened inthe mind of the outside world.

Sweden’s image should not be taken for granted and should be more focused

Interest in Sweden reached a peak in the 1980’s.Since joining the EU in 1995, we have come tobe regarded as a mainstream European stateand we are no longer as unique as we used to bein certain spheres. Awareness of the impor-tance of a country’s national image, and compe-tition between nations in this respect, hasbecome infinitely more keen. In this situation,the unique qualities we have lost must be com-pensated for. We must unite around the thingswhich still set us apart from other countriesand which we are still good at. Sweden’s imagemust be nurtured.

Most foreigners can only be expected to holdin mind a few impressions of a country as smallas Sweden. International experience shows thatnational brands must have a focused message ifthey are to succeed. Inherent in Sweden’s con-sensus culture is the risk that the message

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becomes too fragmented when ‘everyone’ is givena say. This in turn may blur Sweden’s image.Government ministries, public authorities andother actors, including the Swedish promotionalagencies, must convey a focused, undivided imageof Sweden out in the field.

Sweden’s image should be based on established areas

The Swedish model – albeit an updated one – isthe first thing that foreigners associate withSweden. While there may be political dynamitehere, failing to exploit this icon would be waste-ful.

Swedish culture is not widely known – but alink must be forged between established worldnames like Ingmar Bergman, the Nobel prizes,ABBA and in many countries Astrid Lindgren,and today’s younger cultural practitioners andartists.

Clichés relating to sexual liberation and beauti-ful, blonde, blue-eyed women are among thestrongest elements of Sweden’s image. How thismay be turned to advantage in developing ourimage, however, exceeds the brief of the presentstudy.

Niche tourism based on exotic nature andStockholm’s ‘hip’ image is rapidly growing inimportance, and with the right marketing shoulddevelop still further.

Sport affords one of the best-known and mostwidely appreciated images of Sweden, and shouldbe emphasised in promotional contexts.

Companies and products have strong names andenjoy good reputations due to their quality. Butonly IKEA and Volvo are firmly linked to aSwedish identity. In this connection, both thepublic and private sectors would benefit fromseeking out further common denominators.

Design has attracted a certain amount of atten-tion in a number of countries, but many find itdifficult to distinguish Swedish from Danish,Finnish or Scandinavian design. IKEA has proba-bly had a greater impact in this regard than spe-cific promotional drives.

Outside the Nordic area and certain specialistcircles, investments are not something people nat-urally associate with Sweden. There is scope herefor further sustained educational efforts.

Expensive is the most negative epithet appliedto Sweden, which strikes at both products andtourism as well as investments, while at the sametime many feel it is a case of ‘value for money’.The latter aspect should be emphasised.

Although Sweden, with its two centuries offreedom from war, is known as a ‘peace-loving’country, and an elite group is familiar with ourcommitment to the UN, the image of Sweden’sinternational role needs freshening up.

Sweden tends to blur into ‘Scandinavia’, thefurther away you get. We should probably ask our-selves from market to market whether we woulddo best to ‘go it alone’ or whether Scandinavianmight not generate the most positive vibrations.

Modernity is closely associated with bothSwedish products and Swedish society. Without

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historical roots, however, it tends to be associatedin many countries with lack of identity.

How and to what extent the stronger aspects ofSweden’s image should be prioritised and present-ed is a matter for the political level and exceedsthe SASU brief. It is important, however, to keepthis image rooted in Swedish reality – you cannever pass off an image that is glossier than theoriginal.

Choosing image communicators

Hardly anything beats the image that is conveyedvia personal contact with Sweden and the Swedes.This places a great deal of responsibility on allwho work with promotion in one form or anoth-er – they need to view themselves as serviceproviders rather than official representatives.

TV is an important medium for reaching amass audience, but a handful of quality newspa-pers, magazines and specialist journals are moreimportant for developing knowledge aboutSweden abroad. The Internet is an increasinglyimportant source of knowledge. Invitations tojournalists as part of an overall strategy remainvital. Encouraging foreign authors to write booksabout Sweden is another key task.

Sweden’s image should be reviewed regularly

As competition between different countries’national images is on the increase, and substan-tial resources are being invested in promotionalactivities, Sweden’s image must be reviewed reg-ularly. This can be done in a number of ways:

• The UD-PIK should continue to monitor thegeneral media outcome. This could be supple-mented by the English-language news monitor-ing system developed by the Swedish Institute.

• The NSU should continue to be responsible formajor surveys, which, depending on needs andresources, could include opinion polls, focusgroups, qualitative interviews and question-naires. These should correspond in time withthe Ministry for Foreign Affairs’ operationalplanning periods. To obtain a clearer picture ofhow tomorrow’s policymakers view Sweden, itmight be advisable to copy the British Council’suse of focus groups targeting young people.

Research into Sweden’s image abroad

It should be possible to pursue a number ofthreads in the SASU study by means of researchin various subject areas, such as media studies,political science, business administration, and lit-erature, film and music studies.

Conclusion

The present study offers no definitive answer asto how Sweden is viewed in the outside world.But it hopes to provide some further insight intohow we have been perceived down through theyears and how people regard us today. We trustthat this will inspire discussions and action bothin our ministries and in our Foreign Service, andin the NSU’s member organisations, but alsoamong interested members of the general public.

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Appendices and sourcesThe full version of the study includes terms ofreference, the content of questionnaires andoral and written sources.

While varying to a certain extent, the ques-tionnaires largely contain questions about howwell known Sweden is, what people know aboutthe country, what they think about the Swedes,brands, investments, tourism, culture, history,domestic politics, the Swedish model, Sweden’s

international role, the EU, famous personalities,the youth view, ‘September 2003’ and the mediaimage. Twenty-five Swedish missions haveresponded to the survey.

The references include some 40 governmentreports, books and articles. The interviews/dis-cussions undertaken in the course of the studyencompassed a total of 113 people, 45 of themforeigners.

Ingrid Iremark – Chair of the Council for the Promotion ofSweden – in the library of the Linnean Society of London(founded in 1788):“This publication is a short version of the study Images ofSweden abroad. The study looks at how the image of Swedenhas changed over time and how the country is perceived nowin some 20 countries that are important for us. In otherwords, that are important for our exports and for attractinginvestment and tourism that will contribute to our growth andemployment. It shows how people abroad see us and ourcountry, the image they have of our culture, history andsociety – and not least of our companies and products.

The image is mainly positive. But perhaps we’re not as wellknown in the world as we would often like to believe. What’sbest known is the welfare state, Ingmar Bergman, Abba, theNobel prizes and companies like Volvo and IKEA. Old clichésabout sex and about Swedes being boring are still alive.Some of the most positive points are that people appreciateSwedish quality and modernity, our sporting achievementsand our beautiful countryside.

The Council for the Promotion of Sweden hopes that thisstudy will be a source of discussion and action among every-one working to promote Sweden at government agencies, inSwedish business and in organisations, as well as interestedmembers of the public.”

Images of Sweden abroad – summarised version

ISBN 91-7496-353-8