The Place Brand Observer’s Post

Our research regarding city brand coolness with estemeed Ulun AKTURAN has been published in the Journal of Place Branding and Public Diplomacy! 👇🏼 #academic #research #marketing #cool #city #branding

Excited to share my latest contribution to the CPD Blog by the USC Center on Public Diplomacy: "Behind the Memes: The Public Diplomacy Tool of the Moment" Working in #publicdiplomacy made me find more innovative ways to reach out to target audiences and #memes seem to be the best way to do so among younger audiences. And, let's be honest, they're also fun for not-so-young generations! Do you agree with my views on #memeplomacy? https://lnkd.in/ePiSgUxv

Indonesian University Lecturer Bima Jon Nanda has recently evaluated the important role of Taiwan Digital Diplomacy Association (TDDA) in the evolving trends surrounding public diplomacy in the digital era. Non-Governmental Actors Push Diplomacy Forward Citing Corneliu Bjola and Jan Melissen, Nanda starkly puts forward that data has become the ‘new oil’ of #publicdiplomacy, with both governments and the public leveraging social media for greater information exchange and renegotiation on the foundation and quality of their interactions. As a result, public diplomacy is no longer just about official government campaigns and partnerships, but also fostering relationships with #nongovernmental actors both at home and abroad. Bjola identifies three key aspects of public diplomacy in the #digitalage: the evolution of communication mediums, the blurring of foreign and domestic policies, and the rise of technological-based non-state actors, emphasizing that diplomacy is no longer a traditionally state-dominated field. TDDA’s Successes Nanda praises TDDA for its unique spirit of diplomacy through collaboration with actors from various countries via #socialmedia to promote Taiwan, as TDDA founder Chia-You Kuo succinctly highlighted. TDDA’s large presence on Facebook and Twitter demonstrates its strong communication skills and fits clearly into Bjola’s aspects of public diplomacy. Two examples of TDDA’s successful campaigns are: a rally to gather international support for #Kosovo to have its own national internet domain, which became the inspiration for Kuo to found TDDA, and a more recent campaign amplifying the growing friendship between Taiwan and #Lithuania. Nanda concludes the article by asserting that TDDA fills a crucial gap in the Taiwanese government’s public diplomacy by leveraging digital platforms to engage with countries lacking formal #diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Nanda also states that TDDA acts as a bridge between Taiwan’s foreign policy objectives and the public interests of Taiwanese citizens. Read Nanda's full article to learn more about how TDDA is shaping the future of public diplomacy. https://lnkd.in/gJS8cM2S

Next up in my review of recent policy-relevant political science research is this APSR article about the causal effects of public diplomacy--specifically political leader visits--on foreign public opinion. In general, there is little empirical evidence about the effects of public diplomacy. The authors find that leader visits can increase public approval among foreign audiences. Abstract below. "Although many governments invest significant resources in public-diplomacy campaigns, there is little well-identified evidence of these efforts’ effectiveness. We examine the effects of a major type of public diplomacy: high-level visits by national leaders to other countries. We combine a dataset of the international travels of 15 leaders from 9 countries over 11 years, with worldwide surveys administered in 38 host countries. By comparing 32,456 respondents interviewed just before or just after the first day of each visit, we show that visiting leaders can increase public approval among foreign citizens. The effects do not fade away immediately and are particularly large when public-diplomacy activities are reported by the news media. In most cases, military capability differentials between visiting and host countries do not appear to confer an advantage in the influence of public diplomacy. These findings suggest that public diplomacy has the potential to shape global affairs through soft power." #evidencebasedpolicymaking #publicdiplomacy

Bored on summer vacation? Urging for some light reading on the Nordics? Well you’re in luck! I wrote my BSc thesis on Nordic digital public paradiplomacy. Here’s a quick brief on what I researched: 🔹 Digital diplomacy covers all diplomacy practices conducted in digital spaces. 🔹 Public diplomacy is directed towards foreign civil society, aiming to influence the image of the country to support its foreign policy objectives. 🔹 Paradiplomacy is an unconventional way of conducting diplomacy, performed in cooperation with transnational and decentralised players beyond national governments. 🔹 The Nordic Council of Ministers and The Nordic Council is using all these forms of diplomacy together with its Strategy for International Branding of the Nordic Region. I used Swedish and Finnish government funded Instagram accounts as my case study to analyse how the Nordics brand themselves as exceptional, aiming to have more influence in the world, and boost the competitiveness of the region. ‼️ Spoiler alert - cold weather was not the key factor uniting the Nordics, it was shared values. The Nordics aim to promote sustainability, innovation, equality, openness and trust globally. With these values the region has created a common brand called Traces of North. — ‼️ Your organisation can benefit from the Nordic brand, and by utilising it you are also promoting Nordic values, leaving behind traces of north, ultimately supporting the objectives of Nordic foreign policy. If you’d like to learn more you can read my thesis below!

Excellent insight on #digital communication & paradiplomacy. Worth to familiarize.

In an era of disruption and turbulence, states need to reconsider public diplomacy as a top priority to counter propaganda, strengthen media development and revitalize international cooperation. Nicholas J. Cull describes this idea as "reputational security" in his latest book "Reputational Security: Refocusing Public Diplomacy for a Dangerous World." Join the book talk of Cull's new book held by USC Center on Public Diplomacy on Novemeber 5th and learn how reputational strength is key to a nation's security and success 👉 https://lnkd.in/gBTzbjWN

Indeed, the multifaceted nature of soft power deserves further exploration. While cultural exchange programs and the promotion of national values are crucial, a nation's technological prowess, robust educational system, or even its commitment to environmental sustainability can also contribute significantly to its international appeal. Soft power is not a panacea. There's a need to acknowledge the potential for dissonance between a nation's stated values and its actual behavior. However, a well-executed public diplomacy strategy, fostering genuine cultural exchange and positive engagement with the diaspora, can help bridge this gap and build trust. Public diplomacy plays a vital role. While measuring its impact can be challenging, the long-term cultivation of positive relationships through cultural and educational initiatives is undeniably valuable. Though quantifying the success of public diplomacy efforts is difficult, the creation of lasting bonds and mutual understanding paves the way for productive international cooperation. #SoftPower #PublicDiplomacy #InterculturalCommunication

"In the fast-paced world of international relations, one strategy stands out for its ability to foster mutual understanding and collaboration: Public Diplomacy. This isn't simply about governments speaking to governments anymore. Public Diplomacy is about direct engagement, dialogue, and influence between countries and their global citizens. It's about cultural exchanges, educational programs, and digital communication - transcending borders to build bridges of understanding. In the era of social media and digital connectivity, Public Diplomacy has been revolutionized. It has the power to shape narratives, foster mutual respect, and create a global community that understands and appreciates diversity. Let's embrace the power of Public Diplomacy and work towards fostering a global community that champions peace, understanding, and collaboration. #PublicDiplomacy #InternationalRelations #GlobalCommunity #DigitalDiplomacy"

Earlier, I had written a policy brief detailing the need for India to have a sound public diplomacy policy through key lines of efforts. This policy brief has been featured in the HT insights section. Do read should you have not read the paper (the link to the paper is hyperlinked in the article as well):