Managing the reputation of places in crisis

Events such as the 2014 military coup in Thailand, the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis in Japan, and the 2010–2011 flooding in Queensland, Australia, are major crises that have immediate and long-term consequences for local communities. Two types of negative place image are discussed in the field of image restoration. The first is a sudden negative image that is the result of an unexpected crisis, such as terrorism, natural disasters or health epidemics. The other is a long-term negative image brought on by ongoing issues such as economic hardship, high crime rates, continuous war or political instability (Avraham and Ketter, 2008). The theme of this Special Issue of Place Branding and Public Diplomacy deals with these two kinds of crises and the ways that places respond to and manage the negative effects on their images. The ubiquitous marketing environment gives places experiencing crises unprecedented exposure. This coverage can be detrimental and may lead to the formation of unfavourable perceptions of the place that could create distrust or even harmful stereotypes. A potential defence to such negative attention may be in the form of a strong reputation, built over time that offers resilience. Such is the case of Japan’s strong recovery efforts due to the goodwill incorporated in its national image and further investment by the government to promote the country as an attractive tourist destination.