Book Chapter – Branding on the Nordic margins: Greenland Brand Configurations

Book Chapter – Branding on the Nordic margins: Greenland Brand Configurations

The self-rule of Greenland – the world’s largest island at the Arctic margins of the Nordic – has increased during the 20th century. During its long history as a Danish territory, Greenland has seen a gradual transition to more self-representation in the Arctic. However, the conditions for and distribution of agency are still skewed and much more complicated if observed up close.

The book chapter Branding on the Nordic margins in the book The Nordic Wave in Place Branding, takes a look at how nation branding unfolds in Greenland. A “brand multiplicity” is evident when the different platforms of tourism, mining and diplomacy are explored. The different cases demonstrate that place branding is undertaken very differently depending on what discourses, aesthetics and narratives different actors draw on to enact the Greenlandic brand. For example, the “Pioneering Nation” branding campaign, launched in 2010, is supported by two distinct narratives: one that draws on traditional imagery of powerful nature, and another focusing on the pioneering spirit of the people of Greenland. These narratives emphasize the mixture of both traditional and modern elements that shape the current internal discussions around Greenland’s identity.

“As part of numerous activities of a nation still under construction, we see the branding of Greenland as an exercise in identity politics, in which independence from the Danish Commonwealth plays a crucial part.”

Featuring REXSAC author:

Bjørst, Lill Rastad

 

Ren, C., Gad, U. and Bjørst, L. (2019). Branding on the Nordic margins: Greenland brand configurations. The Nordic Wave in Place Branding, pp.160-174.

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Photo: Pixabay/Bernd Hildebrandt

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