Bush Administration Erred In Shutting Down The “Brand America” Ad Campaign, New Book Asserts

Authors Rebuke State Department, Journalists for Drawing Conclusions Based on Speculation

The Bush Administration missed an opportunity to improve America’s image in the Arab and Muslim world when it shut down the controversial 2002 “Brand America” public diplomacy television advertising campaign, a new book written by two U.S. advertising professors suggests.

Contrary to news media and government reports at the time, the Shared Values Initiative (SVI)—the official name for the advertising campaign at the State Department—improved America’s image in Indonesia and possibly throughout the Middle East, according to Jami Fullerton of Oklahoma State University and Alice Kendrick of Southern Methodist University.