KARACHI: Brand image matters in Pakistan more than most other nations as 70 per cent of the respondents in the latest survey reported they’re willing to spend more on a well-known brand.

“This in effect has caused growth in brands across categories,” said a global trends survey report released by international insights firm Ipsos on Wednesday.

According to an analysis of the country-specific survey data with respect to global, regional and emerging markets’ trends, Ipsos’ key insights showed Pakistan is “at the sharp end of the global climate crisis”. Pakistanis were in the middle of the global rankings before the floods hit the country last year. But views are changing post-floods, especially among the young, the survey said.

Ipsos interviewed 48,541 people aged 16-plus between September and November 2022. In most markets, this wave of the survey was carried out online. It was carried out over the telephone in Pakistan and Kenya though.

Value physical health over mental well-being

It said mental well-being is secondary to physical well-being for most Pakistanis. People in only 11 of the 50 countries prioritised physical health over mental well-being. Pakistan is one of the 11 countries, the Ipsos report said.

It called Pakistan “home of data apathy”. Contrary to the majority trend globally, Pakistanis are not concerned about their privacy or organisations and/or government keeping track of them. However, Pakistan is also in the top five countries that are concerned about technology as they also feel that “technical progress is destroying our lives”.

It also termed Pakistan a “nation of idlers?” Pakistanis are ranked the lowest in consumption of various forms of arts amongst the 50 countries and report far lower engagement in fun, sports and other leisure activities.

Pakistanis also exhibited more trust in business leaders than in government. People have more trust in business leaders than government officials, which is in line with a broader trend in all emerging markets.

Pakistanis’ attitudes to gender were found to be “far from the global average” About 85pc of the Pakistanis agree that the women’s role is to be good mothers and wives.

Eight in 10 Pakistanis want a “Puraana” Pakistan, the survey showed. About 83pc of the people want the country to be the way it was before. About 78pc of the people said they would like to grow up in the times in which their parents did if they were given a choice.

Yet Pakistanis remain an optimistic nation. Despite the fact that an alarming number of people (86pc) feel that the country is on the wrong path and say that they are not happy (75pc), more than half of them (53pc) are “still optimistic” about the country’s future. The survey said Pakistan was the fifth most optimistic country in the world.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2023