Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Thinking about place branding: Ethics of concept

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Place Branding and Public Diplomacy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This article introduces a critical theory-induced approach to the concept of place branding to expose the ethical drawbacks within the field. The author argues that the dominant approaches and definitions of place branding limit the thinking of scholars to market-driven subjects, such as measurement, effectiveness and strategies. It is difficult even to discuss ethical issues at a conceptual level within these approaches. With an attempt to further investigate these widely ignored issues, place branding is redefined through a communicative action framework, and a two-step model of place branding is devised – composed of domestic communicative action (Step 1) and international communicative action (Step 2). Step 1 highlights (i) legitimacy and (ii) inclusion as ethical concerns, whereas Step 2 brings in the question of (iii) consistency between the messages in the domestic and international arena. Critical theory makes it possible to take an analytical look at the mainstream approaches and present ethical issues at the conceptual level. Future studies should aim to integrate this theoretical approach to the practice of place branding.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. For the original work, the reader can refer to Hall (1996).

  2. For analytical purposes, the assumption in the second step is that parties have reached a consensus in the former step and are subsequently engaging the target audience as one single actor.

References

  • Anholt, S. (2006) Is place branding a capitalist tool? Place Branding 2 (1): 1–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anholt, S. (2007) Competitive Identity: The New Brand Management for Nations, Cities and Regions. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Anholt, S. (2008) Place branding: Is it marketing, or isn’t it? Place Branding and Public Diplomacy 4 (1): 1–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anholt, S. (2010) Places: Identity, Image and Reputation. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Braun, E. and Zenker, S. (2010) Towards an integrated approach for place brand management. Paper presented at the 50th European Regional Science Association Congress; 19–23 August, Jönköping, Sweden.

  • Burmann, C. (2010) A call for ‘User-generated branding’. Journal of Brand Management 18 (1): 1–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caldwell, N. and Freire, J. (2004) The differences between branding a country, a region and a city: Applying the brand box model. Journal of Brand Management 12 (1): 50–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freire, J. (2005) Geo-branding, are we talking nonsense? A theoretical reflection on brands applied to places. Place Branding 1 (4): 347–362.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodall, B., Trethewey, A. and McDonald, K. (2008) Strategic Ambiguity, Communication, and Public Diplomacy in an Uncertain World: Principles and Practices. Phoenix, AZ: Consortium for Strategic Communication, Arizona State University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Govers, R. and Go, F. (2009) Place Branding: Glocal, Virtual and Physical Identities, Constructed, Imagined and Experienced. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Habermas, J. (1984) The Theory of Communicative Action. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Habermas, J. (1990) Moral Consciousness and Communicative Action. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Habermas, J. (1998) On the Pragmatics of Communication. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Habermas, J. (2001a) Between Facts and Norms: Contributions to a Discourse Theory of Law and Democracy. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Habermas, J. (2001b) The Postnational Constellation: Political Essays. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Habermas, J. (2006) Acceptance speech. Bruno-Kreisky Award Ceremony for the Political Book of 2005; 9 March, Vienna.

  • Hall, S. (1996) Modernity: An Introduction to Modern Societies. Cambridge, MA: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hankinson, G. (2004a) Relational network brands: Towards a conceptual model of place brands. Journal of Vacation Marketing 10 (2): 109–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hankinson, G. (2004b) Repertory grid analysis: An application to the measurement of destination images. International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing 9 (2): 145–153.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hankinson, G. (2009) Managing destination brands: Establishing a theoretical foundation. Journal of Marketing Management 25 (1): 97–115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayden, C. (2011) The lessons of hyphenated diplomacy. PDin Monitor, online journal, http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/index.php/pdin_monitor/article/the_lessons_of_hyphenated_diplomacy/, accessed 4 June 2011.

  • Jackson, P.T. (2003) Defending the west: Occidentalism and the formation of NATO. Journal of Political Philosophy 11 (3): 223–252.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, P.T. (2006) Civilizing the Enemy: German Reconstruction and the Invention of the West. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Jahardan, N. (2010) Niche diplomacy gets Qatar to its goal. Khaleej Times article, 30 December, http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=/data/opinion/2010/December/opinion_December142.xml&section=opinion, accessed 4 March 2011.

  • Jansen, S.C. (2008) Designer nations: Neo-liberal nation branding – Brand Estonia. Social Identities 14 (1): 121–142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaneva, N. (2011) Nation branding: Toward an agenda for critical research. International Journal of Communication, online journal, http://ijoc.org/ojs/index.php/ijoc/article/view/704, accessed 4 June 2011.

  • Kaneva, N. and Popescu, D. (2011) National identity lite: Nation branding in post-communist Romania and Bulgaria. International Journal of Cultural Studies 14 (2): 191–207.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Katz, E. and Lazarsfeld, P.F. (1955) Personal Influence: The Part Played by People in the Flow of Mass Communications. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kavaratzis, M. (2004) From city marketing to city branding: Towards a theoretical framework for developing city brands. Place Branding 1 (1): 58–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kavaratzis, M. and Ashworth, G.J. (2006) City branding: An effective assertion of identity or a transitory marketing trick? Place Branding 2 (3): 183–194.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klapper, J.T. (1960) The Effects of Mass Communication. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kotler, P. and Gertner, D. (2002) Country as brand, product, and beyond: A place marketing and brand management perspective. Journal of Brand Management 9 (4): 249–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kotler, P. and Keller, K. (2000) Marketing Management. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marsh, J. (1995) Critique, Action, and Liberation. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCarthy, T. (1999) On reconciling cosmopolitan unity and national diversity. Public Culture 11 (1): 175–208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, N.J., Pritchard, A. and Piggott, R. (2003) Destination branding and the role of the stakeholders: The case of New Zealand. Journal of Vacation Marketing 9 (3): 285–299.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olins, W. (2004) On Brand. London: Thames & Hudson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Payne, G. (2009) Reflections on public diplomacy: People-to-people communication. American Behavioral Scientist 53 (4): 579–606.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Payne, G. and Georgaki, K. (2009) ‘Yes We Can!’ Changing the image and mediated reality: A grassroots campaign: 2008 Rosarito film project. Paper presented at the International Academy of Business Disciplines Conference; 1–4 April, St. Louis, MO.

  • Payne, G., Sevin, E. and Renedo, A. (2011) Role of consultants and locals in place branding: The case of Rediscove Rosarito (Rosarito, Mexico). Paper presented at the 2nd Place Branding Conference; 20–22 January, Bogota, Colombia.

  • Peterson, P.G. (2002) Public diplomacy and the war on terrorism. Foreign Affairs 81 (5): 74–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Putnam, R.D. (2009) Diplomacy and domestic politics: The logic of two-level games. International Organization 42 (03): 427–460.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Severin, W. and Tankard, J.W. (2001) Communication Theories: Origins, Methods, and Uses in the Mass Media. New York: Addison Wesley Longman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sevin, E. (2010a) Controlling the Message: A Strategic Approach to Nation Branding. Saarbrucken, Germany: LAP Lambert Academic Pub.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sevin, E. (2010b) See for yourself: Rebranding Northern Baja through public diplomacy. Exchange: The Journal of Public Diplomacy 1 (Inaugural Issue): 33–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Syssner, J. (2010) Place branding from a multi-level perspective. Place Branding and Public Diplomacy 6 (1): 36–48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Szondi, G. (2008) Public diplomacy and nation branding: Conceptual similarities and differences. Discussion Papers in Diplomacy, http://www.clingendael.nl/publications/2008/20081022_pap_in_dip_nation_branding.pdf, accessed 4 March 2011.

  • Van Ham, P. (2001) The rise of the brand state. Foreign Affairs 80 (5): 2–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The author would like to express his gratitude to Dr Craig Hayden of American University, Ms Erica Seng of COTELCO and two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments and feedback.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. American University School of International Service, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, 20016, DC, USA

    Efe Sevin

Authors
  1. Efe Sevin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sevin, E. Thinking about place branding: Ethics of concept. Place Brand Public Dipl 7, 155–164 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1057/pb.2011.15

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/pb.2011.15

Keywords

Search

Navigation