Brands and Branding Geographies (Paperback)

'An incomparably rich trove of work on the multifarious and contradictory ''entanglements'' between space, place, and brand. The volume helps us understand how and why ''places of origin'' play an ever greater role in the marketing of commodities, even while corporations continue to seek ''placelessness'' in pursuit of the bottom line. And it illuminates how and why entrepreneurial governments seeking to enhance global competitiveness increasingly turn to place branding - at the neighborhood, urban, and national scale - even while launching rounds of restructuring that undercut the authenticity and viability of local identities. A valuable and accessible contribution to the urban studies and cultural studies literature.' - Miriam Greenberg, University of California, Santa Cruz Despite overstated claims of their 'global' homogeneity, ubiquity and contribution to 'flattening' spatial differences, the geographies of brands and branding actually do matter. This vibrant collection provides a comprehensive reference point for the emergent area of brand and branding geographies in a multi-disciplinary and international context. The eminent contributors, leaders in their respective fields, present critical reflections and synthesis of a range of conceptual and theoretical frameworks and methodological approaches, incorporating market research, oral history, discourse and visual analyses. They reflect upon the politics and limits of brand and branding geographies and map out future research directions. The book will prove a fascinating and illuminating read for academics, researchers, students, practitioners and policy makers focusing on the spatial dimensions of brands and branding. Contributors: S. Anholt, A. Arvidsson, D. Bennison, U. Ermann, H. Halkier, A. Harris, A. Hauge, P. Jackson, J. Jansson, G. Julier, B. Kubartz, N. Lewis, C. Lury, D. Medway, L. Moor, N. Papadopoulos, C. Pasquinelli, A. Pike, D. Power, P. Russell, N.-L. Sum, A. Therkelsen, N. Ward, G. Warnaby