Managing reputation can be tricky. Take a colleague of mine. As far as I know — and I know him pretty well — he’s a capable, intelligent and amiable fellow. Oh, and law abiding too. Yes, law abiding.

Why do I say that? Because if you search on the Google for him your second result will be for a convict with his exact same name. It’s come up when dealing with clients and potential employers. This usually happens after an awkward pause and goes something like this: “So, um, I hate to bring this up, um, but, ah… ah… you ever spend time in jail?”

No he hasn’t. And when explained there’s usually a laugh followed perhaps by another awkward silence.

Search “Colombia” and Ms. Colombia greets you.

I bring all this up because of a conversation this morning with my cousin. He wants to visit Colombia. He mentioned that when he did a search on the country, one of the first image results is of beautiful women. Sure enough, here it is.

This got me thinking. Usually when doing image searches for countries the first results are maps and flags. But what does the first results with people in it say about national character? How does it brand the country.

Brand Colombia: sultry.

Let’s try Iran. It’s in the news. The world’s talking about it non-stop. Negotiations go on in the UN Security Council to figure out how to halt the nation’s nuclear ambitions.

Here are the first humans we get via an “Iran” Google image search.

Iran’s digital reputation? Less Good.

Obviously not so good.

My cousin and I went back and forth on this for a while. We’d select a country and just like that, brand image in a search result.

Definite loser of the bunch after Iran is Mugabe’s Zimbabwe below.

Not only are there no maps and flags, the first result is just a disgusting abuse showing the horror of torture. The second image? A baton wielding cop chasing a civilian.

It’s interesting to watch how countries are starting to focus on digital diplomacy.

For better or for worse, many are coming to understand that much rests on actual digital reputation. That is, what topics trend in Twitter, what search results are seen on YouTube and Google.

Mugabe’s World of Nightmare

Better, what search results are buried and mostly forgotten.

National Public Radio recently had a story about Israel’s “pre-emptive PR” strategies for dealing in the Middle East.

Part of the country’s strategy to improve its image in the diplomatic world is to engage the social media world. This was most famously pursued during and after Gaza but diplomacy and reputation is a 24 hour a day, year-round affair.

The Israelis are keenly aware of this.

From All Things Considered:

Noam Lemelshtrich, dean of communications at IDC Herzliya, the university that hosted the conference, says Israel should be using new media — such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube — to get its message across to a wider audience.

“I think we are handling this very, very poorly,” Lemelshtrich says. “It’s not being handled by professionals, it’s being handled by politicians. But fortunately, the Internet and social networks allow the people of Israel, who are much better than their government, to tell their stories to friendly crowds across the world in the United States and in Europe. So I am optimistic, because the new social medium allows us to bypass the government.”

When Tony Blair became Prime Minister he famously sought to rebrand dour England. The attempt was made to make Britain “cool”.

Today, the social Web takes that out of government hands and places it in our search results.

Update

Due to a personal reasons, I’d be remiss not to post the first anthropomorphic image when searching “Russia”. Not quite sure how to interpret this but here goes.

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Misery Hangs Over Gaza Despite Pledges of Help — NY Times

Clinton Heads to Israel and West Bank Bearing Cash and Caution

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, in her first foray into Middle East diplomacy, landed in this Red Sea resort on Sunday, carrying a pledge of $300 million for war-torn Gaza.

Mrs. Clinton is to present the humanitarian aid on Monday at an international donors’ conference convened by Egypt — possibly the simplest part of a visit shadowed by deep mutual distrust between Israelis and Palestinians and the still-unresolved political situation in Israel.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Mrs. Clinton will travel to Jerusalem and the West Bank, as the Obama administration shows it is determined to pursue robust, sustained peacemaking efforts, after years of neglect and belated engagement on the part of the Bush administration. — NY Times

Israel: Hamas will be hit again if necessary

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak says Israel will strike against Gaza militants again if necessary.

Barak says he hopes the truce that ended Israel’s three-week offensive against Gaza’s Hamas rulers holds. But he says Israel is prepared to act again if Hamas continues to fire rockets at southern Israel.

“Hamas was hit like it was never hit before,” he told Israel’s Channel 10 TV on Friday. “If we will have to hit Hamas again, we will.” — Associated Press

A Palestinian explosive killed an Israeli soldier just outside Gaza on Tuesday and Israel retaliated with an incursion that killed a Palestinian in the first serious confrontations between Hamas and Israel since each declared a tentative cease-fire 10 days ago. — International Herald Tribue

BBC Assailed for Refusing to Carry Gaza Appeal

In more than 80 years as a publicly financed broadcaster with an audience of millions at home and around the world, the BBC has rarely been buffeted as severely as it has in recent days over its decision not to broadcast a television appeal by aid agencies for victims of Israel’s recent military actions in Gaza. — NY Times

Palestinian civilians and medics run for cover during an Israeli strike over a UN school in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza. — BBC

The death toll of Palestinians has risen inexorably. Twelve days after the Israeli offensive began, Palestinians put the number at more than 770, with at least 2,500 wounded. Israel claims to have killed more than 130 Hamas fighters. Some medical sources in Gaza say that as many as 40% of the dead are women and children, and that a large majority have been non-combatants. Several entire families have been wiped out. On January 4th Gaza’s main vegetable market was hit: five people were killed, 40 wounded. Two days later a school run by the United Nations in the Jabaliya camp was shelled, leaving at least 30 dead. Nearly all were children. Gazans have long felt they lived in an open prison; now they are trapped in a shooting gallery. (Via the Economist)

Eyewitnesses reported that Israeli tanks had moved into the southern city of Khan Younis. (Via BBC)

Palestinians gathered for the funeral procession of Nizar Rayyan, a Hamas leader, and four of his wives and at least nine of his children in Jabaliya on Friday. — NY Times