Exploring Synergies between Place Branding and Agricultural Landscape Management as a Rural Development Practice

• Published in: Sociologia ruralis Vol. 52; no. 4; pp. 432 - 452
• Main Authors: Mettepenningen, Evy, Vandermeulen, Valerie, Van Huylenbroeck, Guido, Schuermans, Nick, Van Hecke, Etienne, Messely, Lies, Dessein, Joost, Bourgeois, Marie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.10.2012; Blackwell
• Subjects: Agricultural Development; Agricultural land; Agricultural Research; Agriculture; Brands; Coalitions; Communication; Development sociology; Farmers; Homogenization; Institutions; Landscape; Landscape ecology; Management; Networks; Rural and urban sociology; Rural Development; Rural sociology; Sociology; Sociology of economy and development; Belgium; Economical Management; Region; Agriculture; Rural Development; Network
• ISSN: 0038-0199; 1467-9523
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9523.2012.00575.x

This article explores the synergies between place branding and agricultural landscape management as a rural development practice. We hypothesise that place branding strategy can be used as a process to combat the homogenisation of regions and help to build networks and institutions that strengthen rural development. In order to explore these synergies an extended case study was undertaken in four Belgian regions that display major differences in their place branding processes and agricultural characteristics. The research revealed that in all four cases vital coalitions are being formed between the organisations involved in place branding and local farmers, and that both parties have benefited as a result. Intensive and transparent communication within the place branding process has proven to be essential in strengthening these synergies.