People, Places, Power - Episode 19: Public Diplomacy and Place Branding

Note from the CPD Blog Manager: This post features the podcast People, Places, Power co-hosted by CPD Faculty Fellow Nicholas J. Cull and Good Country Index founder Simon Anholt. The podcast is produced by Elizabeth Islas USC M.A. Candidate of Specialized Journalism (2021), and features Cull and Anholt in weekly discussion on international reputation, foreign policy and related issues along the way. Future episodes will cover specific nations, building trust and more.

Previously: Ep. 1: Biden's America | Ep. 2: Brexit Britain | Ep. 3: In Search of the Good Leader | Ep. 4: The European Union | Ep. 5: What Price Monarchy? | Ep. 6:  Cities and International Image | Ep. 7: Mega Events? Buyer Beware. | Ep. 8: Germany: From Pariah to Paragon | Ep. 9: Culture: Decorative or Useful? | Ep. 10: Can Individuals Make a Difference? | Ep. 11: Migration Nations | Ep: 12: Credible India? | Ep. 13: The Bad Image | Ep. 14: Populism | Ep. 15: Oh, Canada! | Ep. 16: Digital Disruption: New Technology & Soft Power | Ep. 17: Japan at the Crossroads I Ep. 18: Scotland's Next Step

Episode 19: Public Diplomacy and Place Branding

This episode considers how two core concepts of this field fit together: public diplomacy and place branding. Nick sees PD as the overall concept and place branding as one of the tools; Simon sees place branding as the overall approach and PD as just one aspect of a country's image. They find agreement on the issue of impact and the importance of real evaluation in both activities. Cases considered include the evolution of British public diplomacy and historical missteps of the United States. The conversation concludes with Simon and Nick both affirming that what is really important is getting to the right policies. Good policies that lay the foundation for success in both place branding and public diplomacy.