The British government has launched new marketing campaign with the dual aim of encouraging business relationships and breaking down long-held stereotypes about the United Kingdom. Her Majesty's Ambassador to Hungary Jonathan Knott presented the campaign at CEU lecture on Oct. 21.
“One of my central challenges in coming to Hungary is describing all about what Britain is and what it isn't. Many peoples' view of the country is different from mine and even different from reality,” Knott said. “I've been trying to give a modern vision of the UK. It's quite interesting when I ask people what their image of Britain is; Sherlock Holmes comes out a lot, and not the modern, sexy one. We are really proud of our heritage and to understand a people, you have to understand their history and their culture.”
The campaign consists of 10 main talking points about what makes Britain “Great,” including innovation, entrepreneurship, fashion, sport, and heritage. Knott noted that Britain has 77 Nobel prize winners in the fields of science and technology and that London's Tech City is the largest and fastest-growing tech cluster in Europe. Britain is also one of the easiest places to do business in the EU and G8, he said.
The campaign is global but is more widespread in select countries. In addition to promoting its own businesses, the British government hopes to attract foreign companies to their soil.
“It is business focused,” Knott said. “We want to highlight reasons to invest, opportunities to do business with the UK., and also getting British businesses out there. It started last year because we think that the way to help the UK out of the crisis, or slow times anyway, is to attract investment and export business, and these are all done overseas.”
Knott also took questions from a large audience curious about EU secession referendums and even Scotland's upcoming referendum which will determine whether or not it remains a part of the United Kingdom. He noted that similar referendums have come up in the past, resulting in the UK sticking with the EU. UK Prime Minister David Cameron has said that, if his 2015 re-election bid is successful, he will initiate a new referendum in 2017 based on polling that shows the majority of Brits favor secession. Knott, however, expressed hope that the UK would indeed remain a part of the EU.






