I am speaking to a group of businesspeople and diplomats this morning in Mexico City. I will be presenting the results of a flash poll we conducted in mid-November in the U.S. of 1,000 people in the general population 18 years and above. The findings provide important context on the bilateral relationship as NAFTA negotiations come to the finish line and Mexico begins its presidential campaign.
- Brand Mexico Has Real Challenges — Mexico is in the third-least trusted country brand (at 40 percent), above China (26 percent) and India (36 percent), equal to Brazil. American’s trust in Brand Mexico has increased substantially in the past five years, in fact, nearly doubling from its low in 2012. Trust in Brand Mexico among Americans is significantly higher than in other countries; the global average for Brand Mexico is 30 percent, placing it at the level of China and Russia.
- Brand Mexico Tarnished by Current and Outdated Perceptions — Brand Mexico is deeply discounted by Americans because of concerns about corruption in the Mexican government (59 percent), the perception of inadequate wages (54 percent) and lack of environmental protection (42 percent). Most respondents understand that Mexico produces high-quality products and that it is a valued partner in improving the U.S. economy.
- Republicans Far More Negative Than Democrats on Mexico — The GOP voter is 20-plus points more negative on issues related to Mexico, from environment to NAFTA (47 percent to 17 percent) to quality of products and services (47 percent versus 26 percent). There is near unanimity among Democrats and Republicans on corruption in the Mexican government (56 percent versus 67 percent) and unfair wages (52 percent versus 58 percent). Republicans are much more concerned about immigration issues than Democrats, looking to end the “flow of immigrants from Mexico” (62 percent versus 29 percent) and to “build a wall along the Mexico U.S. border” (62 percent versus 19 percent).
- Desire for More Collaborative Relationship But Weak on Specifics — Sixty-one percent of Americans want a better connection with our neighbor to the South, but 48 percent of Americans support one or more less collaborative policies such as building a wall.
- Travel to Mexico a Missed Opportunity — Those who have visited Mexico are far more likely to want a stronger relationship with the country (71 percent versus 54 percent). Similarly, those who have visited Mexico have a much more favorable attitude toward Mexican companies than those who have never been to Mexico (43 percent to 28 percent). But Americans are nervous about travel to Mexico; one in two people believe it is unsafe and 42 percent of Republicans feel uncomfortable traveling to Mexico because of President Trump’s negative comments.
- Media Coverage of Mexico Is Ambivalent to Negative — In an analysis of 2,000 stories from August to November 2017, we found the largest number on the earthquake (16 percent), trade/NAFTA (19 percent), crime (13 percent) and immigration (10 percent).
- Skepticism About Mexican Business and Government Leaders — The least-trusted spokespeople on issues related to Mexico are Mexican CEOs (21 percent), Mexican government officials (22 percent) and the Mexican Tourism board (26 percent). By contrast, there is high trust in a person like yourself, a technical expert or academic (60 percent).
In summary, Mexico’s reputation in the U.S. is tarnished and incomplete, diminished by political agendas and hurt by legacy issues such as environment or low wages. The communications imperatives are to refute the negatives on business conditions and government stewardship; to mobilize those who have been to Mexico either as travelers or for business as the most credible sources of information; and reinforce the notion that a strong bilateral relationship is in America’s interest. The Mexican government has been brilliant in mobilizing those whose business interests would be adversely affected by a negative outcome on NAFTA (example: U.S. dairy farmers). But a broader campaign on working conditions, wages and educational levels of the work force would be a necessary next step.
Richard Edelman is president and CEO.