Country Branding: International Public Relations Discussions in the Book PR Today

by Trevor MORRIS & Simon GOLDSWORTHY

INTRODUCTION

International public relations is more talked about than practiced. It sounds glamorous and contains many of the ingredients which attract people to PR in the first place, but in practice PR seldom travels well: what works in one culture often fails to do so in another. However, one area where there is a genuinely high volume of international PR activity is the realm of branding countries, cities, and places. Usually, this involves a judicious blending of PR activity originating within the place of origin and within the country of the target audience. In a globalised world with ever-freer movement for people, trade and investment, countries now have to compete ever more creatively for favorable publicity. Even countries with controlled media have to look to international public relations campaigns if they want to promote themselves internationally – or at the very least counter unfavorable coverage: however much power they wield at home they cannot dominate or censor all international media outlets. This section looks at the role PR can play in branding countries; similar principles apply to cities, regions and places of all kinds.

https://doi.org/10.58944/tzvt5343