Frank Ahrens

“Can you recreate a Freddy? I don't know if you can reverse engineer him to that effect,”

Frank Ahrens · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-21

Ahrens discussed the viral 'Freddy Effect,' in which a German soccer fan's posts boosted positive U.S. sentiment toward Germany.

“And that was really the big takeaway from this year's index.”

Frank Ahrens · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-21

Ahrens identified the role of social media campaigns in shifting country perceptions as the key finding of this year's index.

“Countries that make a lot of noise about themselves do get on the radar, but to stay on the radar, you have to have real accomplishments.”

Frank Ahrens · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-21

Ahrens acknowledged that generating attention is not the same as wielding political influence.

“This is their moment to grab a piece of American mindshare for sure,”

Frank Ahrens · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-21

Ahrens described UNGA as a key opportunity for foreign governments to capture American attention.

“We looked at 4.9 trillion pieces of data across an entire year because we know that a social media campaign can really move a country's perception in the U.S.,”

Frank Ahrens · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-21

Ahrens explained that BGR's 2026 Impact Index analyzed social media sentiment as a major variable in measuring foreign influence in the U.S.

“But what it shows you is how authentic communication really breaks through on social media.”

Frank Ahrens · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-21

Ahrens said the Freddy Effect illustrates how authentic communication can break through on social media.