“Alla målgrupper är potentiella ambassadörer som medverkar till hur staden uppfattas” : Kritisk legitimeringsanalys av platsmarknadsföring i Skåne

Sammanfattning: This thesis aims to critically explore the concept of “place branding” and “place marketing” in the context of public organizations. By employing Theo van Leeuwens model for discourseanalysis the study looks to find out how selected public organizations legitimize the branding and marketing of the place that they represent. Based primarily on Lennart Lundquists theoretical understanding of economism and the values of public administration, the study means to shine a light on the problematic relationship of public marketing and democratic values. The results are further analyzed with the help of neo-institutional theory with the goal of finding overarching ways to explain the nature of this relationship. The key findings indicate that, as predicted the discourse of branding and marketing is infused with neoliberal values that according to Lundquist are in many ways incompatible with the values of political democracy. These values are also intertwined with a discourse based on the values of democracy, welfare, and communication. The neo-institutional reading of this relationship points to the studied organizations search for legitimacy based on two, partially incompatible sets of values. This in turn could be interpreted as the decoupling of legitimizing structures and everyday work.