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The following pages set out each of the seven objectives, and their corresponding targets or indicators, and explain how progress against them will be monitored.
Objective 1: | Raise the profile and understanding of Scotland in the USA |
Target/Indicator: | Improve survey results for profile and understanding of Scotland in targeted groups within specific areas of the USA by 2010 |
Scotland already enjoys a degree of profile in the USA that is disproportionate to its size and aspects of Scottish culture have a strong and heartfelt resonance across the US population, particularly for those of Scottish descent. However, it is doubtless the case that, in a highly competitive global environment, more could be done to raise awareness of modern Scotland and what it has to offer.
It is important that accurate knowledge and perceptions of modern Scotland are widely held and co-exist comfortably alongside more traditional images. Effective messages need to be conveyed about Scotland's economic, educational and scientific strengths: that Scotland's economy is one of the most advanced in the world and is the base for a range of US blue-chip companies; that Scotland's universities are rated as the best in Europe by US scientists; and that many US citizens already live and work in Scotland. These messages need to be communicated not only to the Scottish diaspora and alumni in the USA but to US citizens more widely, if Scotland is fully to harness the opportunities of bilateral engagement.
The Executive and its partners are already working hard to promote modern Scotland in the USA, particularly through the Scotland's International Image programme. This has been a key motivation for Scottish Ministers' investment in Tartan Week (see Annex C) and wider awareness-raising activities such as the highly successful Scotland at the Smithsonian exhibition (see Box 4). Partners including VisitScotland and Scottish Development International have also been active in enhancing the profile of Scotland amongst their US target audiences.
Continuing to work with both Scottish and US partners and stakeholders, the Executive will expand its promotional activity - including through continued investment in Tartan Week. Scottish Ministers will support such activity across a wider geography in the USA, guided by the regional focus set out in this document. Other stakeholders, such as Scotland's national performing companies, will reinforce these efforts through their own activities in the USA. And the Scottish Affairs Office in Washington DC will continue to work with a range of sectoral organisations to enhance the profile of the many different facets of Scotland.
In order to track progress in raising the profile and understanding of Scotland in the USA, an accurate baseline will first be established for current perceptions and understanding about Scotland through surveying targeted groups amongst the public in specific areas of the USA. This survey will be undertaken during the Executive's 2006/07 research programme. It will be repeated in the future to monitor the effectiveness of promotional activity to 2010.
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