Explore every episode of the podcast Place Brand Leaders Podcast

In this episode, our virtual hosts, Anna and David explore insights from Sithembile Ntombela, Acting CEO of Brand South Africa, on the nation’s approach to branding. They discuss South Africa’s strengths, including its vibrant culture, diverse economy, and skilled workforce, as well as the challenges of governance and corruption. Ideal for those interested in South Africa, nation branding and strategic communication.

Based on the South Africa Spotlight by TPBO and the in-depth interview with Sithembile Ntombela.

Powered by Spotify for Podcasters and Riverside.fm. Produced by The Place Brand Observer.

Virtual hosts Anna and David discuss the recent release of the 36th Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI): which cities lead and which are catching up, plus a couple of thoughts about the bigger picture of trends and opportunities for cities to watch out for. Based on this recent article by TPBO and information provided by Long Finance.

Powered by NotebookLM, Spotify for Podcasters and Riverside.fm. Produced by The Place Brand Observer.

Welcome to a new episode of the Place Brand Leaders podcast! This time, Anna and David, our virtual hosts, take a deep dive into New Zealand's unique brand story and global reputation. They also reflect on the unique trajectory of David Downs, CEO of New Zealand Story. Tune in as they explore what makes New Zealand truly special!

Want to explore further? Visit the ⁠New Zealand Showcase by TPBO⁠. More about David Downs ⁠here⁠.

Powered by Spotify for Podcasters and Riverside.fm. Produced by The Place Brand Observer.

Welcome to a new episode with an exciting update as we have Anna and David join the team as virtual co-hosts. They discuss insights from the Mercer Cost of Living Ranking 2024, explore the factors behind the rankings, highlight top cities, and consider the impact on businesses, expatriates, and city reputations. The conversation is based on TPBO's summary of the Mercer Cost of Living Ranking 2024 and Mercer's own article about it. Tune in for a thoughtful discussion!

Powered by NotebookLM, Spotify for Podcasters and Riverside.fm. Produced by The Place Brand Observer.

Welcome to a special episode on the Place Brand Leaders Podcast. This time, we're celebrating The Place Brand Observer's 10th anniversary. Join Florian Kaefer, founder of TPBO, as he looks back over ten years of place branding and discusses what's coming next.

Join me, Florian Kaefer, as I chat with Adriana Acosta, head of international promotion at PROCOMER, about the success of Costa Rica's country brand, Essential Costa Rica. We explore its 10-year journey, focusing on achievements, challenges, and future goals. Discover how the emphasis on sustainability, innovation, and collaboration has positioned Costa Rica as a top destination for tourism, investment, and trade. Perfect for place branding professionals and destination marketing enthusiasts. Dive deeper in our Spotlight on Costa Rica!

A quick summer update on latest happenings at The Place Brand Observer. And we dive into the topic of World Expos, rediscovering insights shared by Magdalena Florek and Marta Hereźniak on the opportunities and potential risks of hosting a World Expo. Happy listening!

How does sustainability impact place brands, soft power, location reputation? Tune in as Florian Kaefer shares insights from a recent expert panel session on sustainability and place branding, together with his thoughts and research findings on the perceived credibility and potential vulnerability of New Zealand's "clean, green" image and "100% Pure" brand positioning.

What are the key trends and priorities which will impact the work of place brand managers in 2022? We asked our panel of place brand specialists.

How to measure the success - effectiveness and impact - of place branding programs? Our panel of experts has some good ideas, which I share with you in this shortcast episode. You will also find this summary (starting on page 25) in An Insider's Guide to Place Branding: Shaping the Identity and Reputation of Cities, Regions and Countries (Springer, 2021).

How can we avoid common root causes for failed place branding programs and make sure they pass the test of time? In this shortcast I share what I learned from listening to our expert panel - leading specialists on the identity and reputation of places. A summary of views on the topic, published in An Insider's Guide to Place Branding: Shaping the Identity and Reputation of Cities, Regions and Countries (Springer, 2021).

To some extent, failure may seem inevitable, considering the ambitious goals which drive most place branding projects. In this shortcast I share a summary of the most frequent reasons why place branding initiatives fail. A summary of our expert panel's views on the topic, as shared in An Insider's Guide to Place Branding: Shaping the Identity and Reputation of Cities, Regions and Countries (Springer, 2021).

A short reflection on the question: why engage with place branding, how useful is it? With insights from the TPBO panel of experts, published in An Insider's Guide to Place Branding: Shaping the Identity and Reputation of Cities, Regions and Countries (Springer, 2021).

This shortcast episode of the Place Brand Leaders podcast is dedicated to Costa Rica and New Zealand, two of my favorite countries - one I know well, the other I am yet to explore. We recently published our interview with Costa Rica's Head of Country Branding, Daniel Valverde Bagnarello, and just completed (and published) our report on New Zealand, which includes the interview with Rebecca Smith, Director of the New Zealand Story. More about why I find those two countries so fascinating - and my favorite quote from the interviews - in this shortcast.

I also briefly introduce my new book, An Insider's Guide to Place Branding: what it is about and why I think you'll like it. 

How has Auckland in New Zealand become an example of successful city branding? To find out we caught up with Shelley Watson and Clare Barker of Auckland Unlimited. In the episode we discuss the strengths and benefits of Auckland as investment location and place to live, how the harbour city approaches city branding, the challenges, the do's and don'ts, as well as climate change and sustainability and how Auckland has been handling the coronavirus pandemic.

Read the interview on PlaceBrandObserver.com.

As the world looks forward to a more positive 2021, economic developers, community builders, FDI and talent attraction agencies and other place brand managers have a lot on their plate with respect to building an optimistic narrative for their country and city. In this episode, TPBO founder and editor, Florian Kaefer shares his key takeaways from a recent session of the Place Brand Observer panel of place branding specialists, on the key trends and priorities in 2021.

In this episode, Aleks Vladimirov interviews Martin Boisen about what place branding - or as Martin prefers, "place brand management" is all about. Martin is part of the TPBO panel of experts and merges the academic and practitioner worlds of place branding as a consultant and lecturer. A longer version of the conversation can be found on Aleks' website, AdaptInc.co.uk.

In this episode, Florian Kaefer sits down with Malcolm Allan, the President of Bloom Consulting, to discuss how place brand strategies can address the climate emergency.

In this second episode of the Place Brand Leaders podcast, Florian Kaefer discusses a recent TPBO White Paper on destination recovery and sustainability with Aleks Vladimirov. In the White Paper, leading destination experts around the world share 10 tips how to resume tourism sustainably after the coronavirus pandemic.

In this first episode, Aleks Vladimirov interviews Florian Kaefer about The Place Brand Observer: how it all began, how “place branding” has changed over the years, and why he decided to launch this podcast.