Ahead of the 57th presidential inauguration, JWT conducted a survey exploring how the principles of the American Dream echo across borders. This report outlines the survey findings, concluding that a national ideology like the American Dream is not unique to America: Almost 9 in 10 of the 5,625 people in 25 countries that JWT surveyed reported components key to their nation’s Dream that align with factors considered key to the American Dream.

1. THE GLOBAL
DREAM
January 2013
Image credit: The Shopping Sherpa

2. 1 THE GLOBAL DREAM
METHODOLOGY
What: Quantitative study conducted using SONAR™, JWT’s proprietary online research tool.
Who: 225 adults 18+ in each market:
Middle East/
North America South America Western Europe Eastern Europe North Asia South Asia
Africa
Canada Argentina Finland Czech Egypt* China* Australia
Republic
Mexico Brazil France Saudi Arabia Hong Kong India*
Russia
Colombia Germany South Africa* Japan Indonesia*
Italy South Korea Singapore
Spain Thailand*
United
Kingdom
Data is weighted by age and gender to census figures in each market, except where Internet penetration is less than 40% (annotated with * above). Low penetration
markets are weighted to be representative of the Internet population in these markets.
When: Oct. 1–10, 2012

3. 2 THE GLOBAL DREAM
THE AMERICAN DREAM IS A HUMAN TRUTH THAT AMERICANS HAVE BRANDED. ASPIRATIONS OF PERSONAL
ACHIEVEMENT ARE UNIVERSAL.
Whether Have Own Version of American Dream*
China 96
Finland 94
Mexico 94
Indonesia 94
Colombia 93
Russia 93
Hong Kong 92
Thailand 91
Brazil 91
India 90
Canada 89
Japan 89
Spain 89
South Korea 88
Argentina 88
Australia 87
Egypt 87
Singapore 85
*Those reporting at least one component
Czech Republic 84
of the American Dream in their country.
Saudi Arabia 84
Q. In America, there is a national
Germany 83 idea called the “American Dream”
Italy 80 that makes people believe that if you
France 79
work hard enough and stay focused,
you can achieve anything. Which of
South Africa 79 the following, if any, are part of your
United Kingdom 71 country’s Dream?

4. 3 THE GLOBAL DREAM
STATEMENT GUIDE
PERSONAL SELF-
MERIT STRIVING ACTUALIZATION
Being able to get A better life A second chance at life
ahead based on merit alone for my children
Finding happiness
Equal opportunity no matter Being my own boss
your background Finding spiritual fulfillment
Personal independence
Fulfilling my potential
A comfortable
lifestyle
SOCIAL SOCIETAL
FREEDOM WEALTH
CLIMBING ACCUMULATION
Becoming famous Freedom from fear
of oppression Becoming wealthy
Making it to the top Being able to afford and/or
Freedom of speech
Social recognition acquire luxury goods
and status Freedom to be able to go
anywhere you want

5. 4 THE GLOBAL DREAM
THIS DREAM IS MULTIFACETED. ACROSS THE GLOBE, SEVERAL KEY COMPONENTS COMPRISE THIS ETHOS.
Components of “The Dream”
A comfortable lifestyle 51 Personal Striving
A better life for my children 50 Personal Striving
Freedom to be able to go anywhere you want 47 Societal Freedom
Finding happiness 47 Self-Actualization
Freedom of speech 47 Societal Freedom
Personal independence 45 Personal Striving
Equal opportunity no matter your background 41 Merit
Becoming wealthy 37 Wealth Accumulation
Fulfilling my potential 37 Self-Actualization
Being my own boss 37 Personal Striving
Social recognition and status 36 Social Climbing
Being able to get ahead based on merit alone 35 Merit
Freedom from fear of oppression 34 Societal Freedom
Making it to the top 32 Social Climbing
Being able to afford and/or acquire luxury goods 30 Wealth Accumulation
Finding spiritual fulfillment 30 Self-Actualization
A second chance at life 29 Self-Actualization
Becoming famous 24 Social Climbing
Q. In America, there is a national idea called the “American Dream” that makes people believe that if you work hard enough and stay focused, you can achieve anything.
Which of the following, if any, are part of your country’s Dream?

6. 5 THE GLOBAL DREAM
GLOBALLY, PERSONAL STRIVING AND SOCIETAL FREEDOM GO HAND IN HAND.
Pillars of “The Dream”
Personal Striving 46
Societal Freedom 43
Merit 38
Self-Actualization 36
Wealth accumulation is
as much a part of the
Dream as higher-order
Self Actualization.
Wealth Accumulation 34
Social Climbing 31
Q. In America, there is a national idea called the “American Dream” that makes people believe that if you work hard enough and stay focused, you can achieve anything.
Which of the following, if any, are part of your country’s Dream?

7. 6 THE GLOBAL DREAM
IN MANY EMERGING MARKETS, “THE DREAM” IS CLOSER TO HOME, WHEREAS IN MANY DEVELOPED
MARKETS, SOCIETAL FREEDOM IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE “THE DREAM.”
#1 Pillar #2 Pillar
Brazil Personal Striving Merit
China Personal Striving Merit
Singapore Personal Striving Merit
Russia Personal Striving Self-Actualization
Thailand Personal Striving Social Climbing
Argentina Personal Striving Societal Freedom
Colombia Personal Striving Societal Freedom
Czech Republic Personal Striving Societal Freedom
Egypt Personal Striving Societal Freedom
India Personal Striving Societal Freedom
Italy Personal Striving Societal Freedom
Mexico Personal Striving Societal Freedom
Spain Personal Striving Societal Freedom
Saudi Arabia Personal Striving Wealth Accumulation
South Korea Self-Actualization Societal Freedom
Finland Societal Freedom Merit
Australia Societal Freedom Personal Striving
Canada Societal Freedom Personal Striving
France Societal Freedom Personal Striving
Germany Societal Freedom Personal Striving
Hong Kong Societal Freedom Personal Striving
Indonesia Societal Freedom Personal Striving
South Africa Societal Freedom Personal Striving
United Kingdom Societal Freedom Personal Striving
Japan Wealth Accumulation Self-Actualization

8. THANK YOU
The Global Dream Contact
466 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10017 Director of trendspotting Ann M. Mack Ann M. Mack
212-210-7378
www.jwt.com | @JWT_Worldwide Senior Trends Strategist Jessica Vaughn ann.mack@jwt.com
www.jwtintelligence.com | @JWTIntelligence @annmmack
SONAR™ Mark Truss
www.anxietyindex.com | @AnxietyIndex Karen Montecuollo Mark Truss
212-210-5699
Editor Marian Berelowitz
mark.truss@jwt.com
Proofreader Nicholas Ayala
Design Peter Mullaney
© 2013 J. Walter Thompson Company.
All Rights Reserved.
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