Uruguay presented on public diplomacy and its new brand licensing at the 10th Ibero-American Country Brand Forum.

The 10th Ibero-American Country Brand Forum was held in Cusco, Peru, where representatives of the country brands of the members of the Ibero-American Country Brand Council (Cimap) met, including Uruguay, which had the opportunity to present on public diplomacy and its new brand licensing under LSQA certification.

The meeting, an important space to exchange experiences on trends and strategic management of country brands, represented an opportunity to access more tools to face the new challenges in a changing and increasingly competitive global context, said the Commission for the Promotion of Peru for Export and Tourism (Promperu).

During the first day of activities, the Country Brand Manager of Uruguay XXI, Larissa Perdomo, participated in a panel on public diplomacy and territorial image efforts.

“Countries compete to offer sectoral brand experiences, and in Uruguay, we developed an architecture of our main export sectors, which we positioned with the collaboration of the private sector, such as exporters of meat, fruits, services, and wines, among others,” said Perdomo about the country’s experience in the creation and positioning of sectoral brands.

The Country Brand manager also recalled Uruguay’s efforts in major international events such as universal expositions, major sporting events, major events attracting tourism and investment, and sectoral fairs around the world, which allowed the country to showcase its public diplomacy work, its culture, its export and tourism offer, among other aspects that characterize it and make it relevant on the global stage.

Later, the Uruguay country brand presented its new licensing under LSQA certification in a panel shared with Argentina and Costa Rica. Uruguayan goods and services companies can now apply for this certification, recognizing efforts in origin, sustainability, leadership, management, and export capacity.
In Cusco, the testimonies of the Uruguayan company These, dedicated to the generation of software products and services, and Apiter, a laboratory specializing in products developed with propolis, were heard.

“The country brand is a source of pride and a fundamental part of our international expansion strategy. Uruguay is very well regarded in the countries we export; it is a synonym of quality and seriousness. For us, it is key to count on the country brand,” said Apiter CEO Nicolás Cardozo.

Florencia Iglesias, founder and CEO of These, expressed her expectations regarding the new licensing. “We believe it is a great recognition that allows us to present ourselves as a country brand company to the world. It gives us an endorsement of quality and recognition of everything we are doing well to trace a path and continue generating impact,” she said.

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The representatives of the different country brands that participated in the meeting received representative products from Uruguay, such as alfajores from the Sierras de Minas, Rebel Nuts bars made with natural products, and Tannat and chimichurri salts made by Sellin.

On the last day of activities, CIMAP members voted Chile as the host of the following forum, while the pre-forum will be held in El Salvador. Both will be held in 2024.

Uruguay created and organized the first regional forum of this type in 2013. In 2022, once again, the country hosted the conference in the capital, Montevideo, and in the prestigious tourist destination Punta del Este.