When it comes to brand dominance, what counts most? Reliability, quality craftsmanship, and innovation come to mind, and they are all ascribed to products and services that originate from manufacturers, providers, and technologists in Mexico, Canada, and the US. These products, with their North American stamp, not only meet but exceed global standards, making us a force to be reckoned with in the international market.
This enviable Made in North America brand is fortified by a tri-national trade agreement referred to as USMCA, CUSMA, and T-MEC (can you guess which acronym pairs with which country?). Enacted 30 years ago, NAFTA (which in 2020 became USMCA et al.) was the official declaration on the North American Competitive Edge and took its place in the Troika of Trading Blocs alongside the European Union and the nation of China.
Throughout my tenure promoting exports and attracting foreign direct investment to North America, audiences in the three countries wherein I served as a US commercial diplomat were drawn to attributes such as reliability, cost-efficient manufacturing, transparent business dealings … and that certain je ne sais quoi brand cachet that is unique to products designed and built in North America, setting them apart from the rest.
Infrastructure and funding resources are vital to ensure our companies sustain this competitive edge. Communities in Canada, Mexico, and the US compete fiercely to attract high-value foreign investment funds, such as Clean Energy Partnerships that originate and are promoted by local governments. (See my blog post on Subnational Diplomacy.)
Uniquely North American Brands: Indigenous Communities and Small Business Engagements
The USMCA pact accommodates small businesses that export uniquely North American brands, which in turn creates a stronger intra-North American supply chain. This initiative also supports Native American (US), Indigenous (Mexico), and First Nations (Canada) rural manufacturers and women- and minority-owned businesses. The US Commerce Department and their federal agency counterparts quickly developed trade missions tailored to these groups, further extending the globe’s small business ecosystem. And, since most people in the world work for small businesses, that just makes for stronger communities everywhere.
Learn a bit more about some government initiatives here, and read about my work in global branding strategies here.