Rethinking the roles of culture in place branding

Abstract

Within place branding, culture is assumed to create positive associations with the place and is, therefore, used extensively. However, we argue that the understanding of culture is inadequate and leads to disconnection between local culture and the place brand instead of synergy. A critical evaluation of the methods commonly used reveals that culture is misinterpreted and oversimplified. The article discusses significant tensions relating to the dominance of certain cultural elements and actors and the effects on identity. The relationship between place brands and culture is reconstructed through a re-appreciation of its complexity and reciprocity. Synergies are found in understanding culture as a process of meaning production and in clarifying the role of place brands (as cultural phenomena themselves) in culture.