FRONT PAGE: Sarkozy fails to charm Brits

by Claire Murphy , PR Week UK 03-Apr-08, 06:00

Last week's state visit of French president Nicolas Sarkozy and his new wife Carla has failed to alter the British public's traditionally frosty view of the French, a PRWeek survey has found.

Despite acres of breathless media coverage and talk of a new ‘entente formidable', a substantial 83 per cent of the 1,001 people polled by GfK NOP last weekend (28-30 March) said they felt ‘no differently' towards the French.

Men (11 per cent) were more likely than women (seven per cent) to admit to feeling warmer towards their continental neighbours. But younger people were unimpressed - only one per cent of 16- to 24-year-olds have a more positive image of the French following the visit. Twelve per cent said the appearance of Sarkozy and his wife had damaged their view of France.