Place Branding and Territorial Identity in Rural and Low-Density Contexts

This chapter explores the place-branding strategy for sustainable territorial development, which extends beyond the market-promotion function to a governance role in the area's development. According to the chapter, place branding becomes an instrument for rural development, guided by processes that build the territory's social identity, mobilize society, and foster place-based developmental innovation. Place branding becomes an active element of place-based governance, enabling the population to develop “a sense of shared social narrative based upon elements such as the natural environment, culture, heritage, or endogenous resources”. Basically, the chapter situates place branding within the broader field of territorial governance, which can restore declining territories characterized by low population densities to new, invigorating territories through the application of place branding strategies based on the aspects mentioned above.