Aimed at international businesses and governments the campaign will showcase the UK’s trade and investment opportunities to a global marketplace, including the US. Prime Minister May and President Trump will discuss trade relations between the two countries at their meeting later this week.
The campaign launch is the latest initiative in the successful longstanding “GREAT Britain” campaign to promote the best of what the UK has to offer the world. This campaign positions the UK as the home of impressive and surprising creativity, expertise, innovation, quality and world-leading capabilities.
Declaring to global investors that the UK is open for business, the campaign showcases the strength of the UK as a leading investment and business destination particularly in financial services, creative industries, the life sciences sector and the sustainable energy industry.
From today, the comprehensive, multi-channel campaign will display a series of new images showcasing the UK’s world-leading products and services, including advertising in international airport hubs such as New York, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Dubai, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Singapore.
Secretary of State for International Trade, Dr Liam Fox, MP said:
“The UK is open and ready for business, and the launch of our largest international trade campaign today is an important step in showcasing the very best of what our country has to offer to the world.
“Businesses who trade internationally are more financially stable, creating jobs and giving a boost to local economies at home and abroad. Our world-leading digital hub will help more businesses tap into the wealth of British business opportunities and provide all the advice and guidance that they need to break down barriers to trading with the UK.”
Interactive digital service
As part of this international push, the Department for International Trade is helping international companies looking to trade or invest in the UK to find the right opportunities for them.
The international launch of a new interactive digital service – www.great.gov.uk provides practical advice to businesses ready to take the next step into new global markets, or international buyers and sellers who may not know what is in the market or how to buy British.
A new searchable exporter directory, the ‘Find a Supplier’ tool will help international businesses to find their perfect trade partner and break down barriers to trading overseas.
The digital service will also include information on seven sectors, from technology to food and drink, so that international businesses can easily navigate the UK market and make an informed decision about the best investment opportunities.
Director General Economic and Commercial Affairs USA, Antonia Romeo said:
“Every day I see the value and positive impact UK exporters and US inward investors make to our shared prosperity across a range of areas.
One of the companies showcased in the international trade and investment campaign is Touch Bionics, a world-leading provider of prosthetic technologies and part of the UK’s thriving health and life sciences sector. With a presence across the US and offices in Ohio and Massachusetts, Touch provides life-enhancing technology improving the quality of life for many Americans.
California-based Token, a recent inward investor in the UK, who created the world’s first bank hosted payment system designed for the digital era have made a significant investment in the UK to grow its business internationally.”
Further information
- The USA and UK are each other’s largest investors
- The USA accounts for nearly 20% of the UK’s total exports – its largest single-country export destination
- The UK is the fifth biggest overseas market for USA-produced goods, totalling around $50bn per year, with USA and UK trade in goods broadly balanced
- Around a million people in the UK go to work each day for USA employers, and the same is true in the USA, where jobs with UK employers pay higher than average wages
- Target markets for the trade campaign activity are the United States, Germany, China and Japan. Target markets for invest campaign activity are the United States, Germany and China.
- Great.gov.uk has four pages for priority markets: India, China, Germany and the USA – the world’s largest markets – with dedicated translated/transliterated content to showcase UK investment opportunities.
- Great.gov.uk includes the following services: Selling Online Overseas; Export Opportunities; Country Guides; Find a Buyer/Supplier
- Great.gov.uk is also the single digital destination for those wishing to visit and study in the UK.
- Over the coming months DIT will be working with business partners and others to facilitate meetings between international buyers and relevant UK exporters to promote the UK’s most innovative and exceptional products and services. For more information, please visit great.gov.uk.
- The GREAT Britain campaign is the UK Government’s most ambitious international promotional campaign ever and showcases the very best of what the country has to offer to encourage the world to visit, study and do business with the UK. GREAT is active across 144 countries worldwide and unites HMG’s promotion of the UK overseas – more than 20 Government departments and ALBs – under an effective and widely recognised brand. Launched in 2011/12, the GREAT campaign has already generated returns of £2.2 billion for the UK economy, with a further £2.1 billion currently being audited and more to come from current activities.
