October 29, 2009
PUT THE GREAT BACK IN GREAT BRITAIN!
• A third can’t remember the last time they felt proud to be British
• Drunken, loud-mouthed and lazy voted the top traits of modern Britain
• The face of Britain today personified by The Queen, Katie Price and Stephen Fry
• Brits want to see the return of traditional good manners and neighbourliness
The population is calling for the Great to be put back in to Great Britain, as over a third of Brits admit they cannot remember the last time they felt proud to be British (34 per cent), in a survey into perceptions of modern Britain.
What’s more, over three quarters of people believe we have lost our noble, traditional British traits over recent times, including good manners (76 per cent), followed by our neighbourliness and community spirit (57 per cent).
The research, by Henry Goode’s Soft Eating Liquorice, the only British variety of soft liquorice, found that nearly half of us think our drunken reputation best defines the typical Brit in 2009 (47 per cent), followed by loud mouthed (43 per cent) and lazy (38 per cent). However, the legendary British sense of humour meant that one positive attribute made it in to the top five national traits (29 per cent).
Given the negative perceptions of Britain today, it is perhaps not surprising that over a third of Brits admit they cannot remember the last time they felt proud to be British (34 per cent). However, a quarter of people, both young and old (25 per cent), said their patriotic pride is stirred on Remembrance Day. Sporting victories also get Brits excited as more than one in 10 celebrated their nationality following the Beijing Olympics (12 per cent) and our 2009 win at The Ashes (11 per cent).
When it comes to the celebrity that most represents the face of Britain today, The Queen is still on top of the pile as the epitome of Britishness. However highlighting how the nation has changed over recent times, joint second place is occupied by eccentric gentleman and all-round funny man Stephen Fry and Katie Price aka Jordan, with many believing that her antics have come to represent all the attributes of the typical Brit today.
Helen Sears, marketing manager for Henry Goode’s Soft Eating Liquorice, said: “There are many strong, traditional British qualities that the majority of people feel have been lost over the last few years, and the perception is that these have been replaced by negative characteristics. This signals the need for Britain to bring back the traditional traits that once made the country Great, and allow us to be proud to be British again.”
As a result, Henry Goode is launching his campaign manifesto for a better Britain, which he will be sending to the leaders of all the political parties. For further information, visit www.henrygoode.co.uk or follow Henry at www.twitter.com/henrygoode
ENDS
Notes to editors
• *Henry Goode’s Soft Eating Liquorice surveyed over 2,000 respondents from across the UK, aged 16-55+
• The celebrity that most represents the face of modern Great Britain:
1. The Queen
2. Stephen Fry (joint second)
3. Katie Price (joint second)
4. Richard Branson
5. Joanna Lumley
6. Prince Harry
7. David Beckham
8. Jonathan Ross
9. Lily Allen
10. Chris Hoy
11. Jamie Oliver
12. Cheryl Cole
13. Trevor MacDonald
14. Kelly Holmes
15. Ellen McArthur
16. David Cameron
17. Dizzee Rascal
18. Gordon Brown
19. Shami Chakrabati
Media enquiries
For further information contact Gemma Walters g.walters@brahm.com on 0113 22 00 518 or Nina Hands n.hands@brahm.com on 0113 22 00 532
Written by: Henry Goode
