International consumers’ opinions of South Korean products have improved over the years, but they still think local products are less than three-fourths as good as products made in other advanced countries, according to a state trade promoter yesterday.

Former Tourism Australian and Tourism New Zealand advertising agency M&C Saatchi has won the job of building brand Australia for Austrade. The agency, which has also been involved in nation-branding and tourism projects in the US and the Middle East, will assume the $20 million project to market Australia as an export and investment nation.

The Ottawa-born Rowswell is famous throughout China as a comedian and television commentator and he’s one of Canada’s secret weapons in its bid to create a buzz at what is almost certainly the largest nation-branding event ever staged.

Many countries are willing to go that extra mile to impress the Chinese, but the Danes may have topped them all. On Sunday, Denmark unveiled its well-known statue of the Little Mermaid at the unofficial opening ceremony for its Shanghai Expo pavilion.

The New Botswana Brand has been launched following a request in 2009 that the nation's brand be re-examined as it was thought not to speak of the aspirations of Batswana.

The Ottawa-born Rowswell is famous throughout China as a comedian and television commentator and he's one of Canada's secret weapons in its bid to create a buzz at what is almost certainly the largest nation-branding event ever staged.

The sad fact is that, for all our perceived virtues — or maybe because of them — Canadians are viewed by many outsiders as tamer Australians, more spaced-out Belgians, or decaffeinated Americans. The lack of understanding — i.e. interest — on the part of our friends and neighbours, not to mention our handful of enemies, is a problem.

With less than two weeks to go before the start of the World Expo Shanghai, the Korea Business Pavilion showcasing 12 major conglomerates was unveiled yesterday. According to the Korea International Trade Association, which oversees Korean participation in the world’s largest exposition, the three-story pavilion is built on a 3,000-square-meter (32,291-square-feet) area.