Issue 85: A Bulletin for Big Ideas and Better Business

OPINION/ IDENTITY

The Nation as a Brand

💬 Sir John Hegarty

Whether they acknowledge it or not, every nation operates as a brand. Alongside everything else they represent – government, culture, economy – they also present an image to the world. Like any brand, that image is built on how it acts, what it promises, and people can choose whether or not to believe it. A brand, in the truest sense. You know what you’re getting when you see “Made in Germany” stamped on the side of a washing machine. It’s not just a point of origin, it’s a symbol. It tells you something about what’s inside. Reliability. Efficiency. A refusal to cut corners. That’s branding. And it works.

Look around and you’ll see most countries already have their own slogans, whether official or not. America has “In God We Trust.” France writes “Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité” on every mairie. India affirms “Truth Alone Triumphs.” These are not just ceremonial lines. They express what a country wants to be known for. A national tagline is only powerful, though, if people believe it. If the behaviour matches the claim.

A national tagline is only powerful, if people believe it

Reputation is everything. And just like a company or a product, a country earns it over time. When a nation shows integrity in how it acts, delivers on what it promises, and stays true to its values, that reputation grows. People do business with you. They visit. They invest. When trust disappears, so does the premium. Think of your own industry. Would you invest in a business that shifts its values depending on who’s in charge? Would you buy from someone who keeps changing their story?

Do our political leaders understand this? They talk about growth and living standards, but seem blind to how their actions shape the nation’s image. Undermining institutions or stoking division weakens the brand. And in a global market, perception drives value. Lose trust, and the consequences aren’t just reputational. They’re economic.

Some countries are managing their brand well. They’ve built up an identity that’s consistent and attractive. Others are doing the opposite. Tearing it up with short-term thinking, erratic decisions, and weak leadership. They underestimate how long it takes to build a reputation and how quickly it can be ruined. I’ve got my list. You’ll have yours. The point is this: a nation can’t opt out of being a brand. You either shape it with care, or you let it drift. But the world is always watching, and people will judge you based on what they see.

THE AGENDA

✏️ Pencil it in: your agenda for the coming week

1.
Stars, auteurs and rising talent descend on Canada this week for the 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival. A cultural juggernaut in its own right, TIFF continues to shape the global film conversation – and, increasingly, the awards race.

4th – 14th September

2.
Georgia’s coastal city of Batumi plays host to Ad Black Sea, the international festival of creativity. With a mix of talks, awards and late-night revelry, it’s quickly becoming a vital gathering for creative professionals from Europe, Asia and beyond.

11th – 13th September

3.
London Design Festival returns this Saturday, transforming the city into a giant exhibition space. From interactive installations to landmark commissions, the annual event celebrates bold ideas and the role of design in shaping modern life.

13th – 21st September

Illustration by Sir John Hegarty

GLOBAL / FASHION

The Art of Understatement

Photo by Getty Images

Giorgio Armani, 1934 – 2025

Creativity isn’t always loud. Giorgio Armani built one of fashion’s most recognisable brands by doing the opposite – removing excess, stripping back the silhouette and trusting that simplicity could speak volumes. Armani didn’t chase attention; he curated it. He turned muted palettes and unstructured tailoring into elegance. He made minimalism desirable at scale, without ever compromising its integrity. More than just clothing, he gave people, particularly women, power without performance. His work was consistent, disciplined, and unshakably confident. In a time when many brands are pivoting weekly, that clarity feels like a provocation. Restraint isn’t the absence of creativity. Sometimes, it’s the highest form of it.

UK / POLICY

Who Owns Creative Code?

Photo by University of the Arts London

The UK is rethinking its design laws – and in doing so, asking some of the most urgent questions in the creative economy. Should 3D files replace 2D sketches in design protection? Can AI-generated work be legally owned? And what does authorship mean when a machine is your co-creator? These aren’t abstract debates. They touch everything from product and fashion to digital interfaces and branding. The government’s new consultation – open until 27th November – aims to modernise a system built for pencils and paper, not code and prompts.

The design economy is worth over £100 billion. Protecting it means protecting how we create – and who gets credit for it.

“I just invent, then wait until man comes around to needing what I’ve invented.”

/R.Buckminster Fuller