Shaping Estonia’s country brand
Defining our global identity
A country brand is a key differentiator that helps establish a positive reputation and drive preference. Every country has a reputation, which is managed in various ways and at different levels.
Our reputation is driven by two key factors: how well people know Estonia and what they think of us. The more the world recognizes Estonia for its unique strengths, the stronger our perception becomes. We measure reputation annually through international surveys such as the Global Soft Power Index and the Nation Brands Index.
Why a strong country brand matters
Estonia’s brand is more than just an image; it’s a powerful tool that supports our national security, drives economic growth, and attracts talent and investment.
Similar to well-known trademarks, country brands have monetary value, enabling us to assess the economic impact of our reputation. This involves comparing perceptions of Estonia with economic indicators such as GDP, foreign investment volume, export and tourism revenues, and the number of foreign talents.
Current research by Bloom Consulting indicates that perception contributes to approximately 25% of the total transaction value in areas like tourism, foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, and talent attraction.
Managing Estonia’s global brand
Managing Estonia’s brand starts with understanding where we stand, defining clear goals, and taking meaningful steps to achieve them. It should be rooted in reality, measured using agreed-upon metrics such as various statistics, economic indicators, rankings, and memberships in international associations.
Reputation is built through experiences—whether it’s someone visiting Estonia, working with our businesses, or hearing about our digital innovations. These experiences shape how Estonia is perceived, both directly and indirectly, through personal impressions or media coverage.
The principle of "actions speak louder than words" is especially relevant for country branding, especially for Estonia. Our reputation is not built only through isolated marketing campaigns but through meaningful actions in areas like state governance, international relations, business, and culture that gain global recognition. Whether we like it or not, reputation evolves slowly over time.
Organisational changes
The Brand Estonia team works to strengthen Estonia’s image and global presence through collaboration, data and content.
In 2024, the team underwent its most significant changes since the launch of Brand Estonia in 2017. Originally part of the marketing department at Enterprise Estonia, it became an independent entity — the Country Promotion Department (also known as Brand Estonia) — working closely with Trade Estonia, Invest in Estonia, Visit Estonia, Work in Estonia, Startup Estonia, e-Residency, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government Office, Ministry of Economic Affairs, and many others.
Our mission is simple: to inspire and equip promoting Estonia’s story worldwide. We analyze our image, provide tools and insights that help showcase Estonia’s strengths. By working closely with policymakers, businesses, and organizations, we help ensure that Estonia’s actions speak louder than words. To stay focused and effective, we’ve organized our work into four key areas:
- Data & analytics
- Content & messages
- Visuals & tools
- Advice & support