| Abstrakt: |
Developments in communication technology together with the growth and consolidation of global economic structures have fostered renewed interest not only in the way individual and collective identities are constructed but also in the strategical development of country, region and city images. This identity-image complex represents the main challenge of an activity like place branding, which is itself based on marketing strategies. The Internet has become a central medium for this purpose: not only do nearly all countries, regions and cities maintain web pages in order to persuade national and international stakeholders of their strengths, but many of them have already begun to tap into the potential of Web 2.0. In this way, users themselves become the creators of the brand. Based upon a number of case studies, this article analyzes the conditions and consequences of this new form of place branding and how it is being implemented today. Afterwards, from a theoretical point of view, the phenomenon of place branding will be examined within the context of globalization. Based upon the concept of `authenticity΄, this work discusses the function of `place branding 2.0΄ as a means to the creation of plural identities and social cohesion. The analysis is based on Luhmann's idea of `legitimation by practice΄, which allows the establishment of efficient collective identities in a `cross-cutting-cleavage constellation΄. Finally we formulate hypotheses regarding the role of 2.0-image-development in transnational or transcultural communication contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
