Description

<p>In order to revive economically declining neighborhoods, municipal governments and their development partners utilize place branding as a means to attract capital and market a particular place identity. Whether through promoting large-scale events, flagship development projects, the development of city slogans (e.g. “I Love NY”), or civic boosterism campaigns (Kotler &amp; Levy 1969; Cox and Mair 1988; Philo and Kearns 1993; Kenny 1995; Boyle 1997; Short 1999; Rofe 2004), place branding constructs speculative narratives that market cities and neighborhoods to potential investors and more affluent residents. However, the actors involved in branding strategies and the ways that local communities interact with these visions are highly politicized, and can play out in many ways. At the city level, branding is often a means of attracting new industries and global cultural tourism (Bianchini 1993; García 2004; Kavaratzis &amp; Ashworth 2007; Degen &amp; Garcia 2012). At the local level, branding strategies have the potential to rewrite the histories of working class or ethnic neighborhoods (Hoffman 2003; Wherry 2011; Collins 2018) or revitalize arts and entertainment districts (Rich and Tsitsos 2016). These strategies are often times contested, shaped, and even exploited by local stakeholders that find their homes and businesses in the midst of a neighborhood rebranding. Drawing from a variety of scales and contexts, this panel will explore the various actors involved in place branding, what these strategies entail, and their impacts on local communities.</p>