Destruction or construction? A (counter) branding analysis of sport mega-events in Rio de Janeiro

This paper presents an analysis of the dialectic construction of city representation in Rio de Janeiro during the phase of preparing for global sport mega-events, such as the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics. In particular, it describes event-based city branding as dialectic representational dynamics that occur when attempting to broadcast a ‘tailored’ image to the world. Official and counter branding, observed in this study through an Internet-based qualitative content analysis, construct an arena for confrontation. The use of urban space and physical transformations, economic development visions, cultural heritage and citizen involvement are key categories entangled in both the institutional/strategic (i.e. the official brand) and counter-hegemonic (i.e. the counter brand) city representations. The analysis showed the dialectic relationship between hegemonic and counter-hegemonic narratives. The analysis suggests not just the destruction of the ‘Olympic City’ master narrative by means of counter-hegemonic representation, but a (re)construction of a global narrative of ‘the city hosting mega-events’, enriched by local meanings and symbols. Future research perspectives and open inquiries are proposed in the final section of the paper.