ABSTRACT
This chapter surveys the complexities and contours of place branding through an island lens. A strong brand represents more than a cute picture or a smart sound bite. Brand strategists meticulously craft a brand's identity over time in order to inspire other individuals to believe in it enough to spend their money in assured and specific ways. Like all branded commodities, place brands are designed for competitive edge: to stand out in a global marketplace replete with consumer options. The contemporary salience of place branding has coincided with the growth of social media; this has highlighted its inherent tensions, ironies and possibilities. Typically, the strategic branding of island products proceeds according to a simple protocol. Overt reference to the basic local ingredients is made – such as clean water, stone, wood, wool, sand or natural produce – preferably items that lend themselves to a deep historicity and, ideally, with a connection to a specific and interesting human episode.
