Sustainable Development Goals in place branding: Developing a research agenda

Abstract

This chapter brings together the perspectives of public authority strategizing and consumer place consumption and identifies SDG-related research agendas to be pursued in future. The UN Sustainable Development Goals seem mainly to have left a mark on the rhetorical strategies of cities and countries, and it remains to be seen how the SDGs will influence place development practices across the world in future. Quick wins versus long term solutions will be one of the issues that researchers need to scrutinize further. Another issue in need of exploration is the multiple market dilemma of place branding. The ability to balance sometimes conflicting market interests may be accentuated in SDG-based place branding because fundamental preconditions for people’s lives are at stake. The altruistic engagement of residents with sustainability issues may clash with more competitive mindsets of private and public stakeholder, who may favour short-term solutions to ensure a position in the inter-place competitive game.