Frank Ahrens

“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.

“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.

“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.

“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.

“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.

“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.