Communication and cultural representation of places: Destination brand analysis of the most visited states in the USA

Manuel Pinto Grunfeld; William Cantú

doi:10.25145/j.pasos.2026.24.057

Authors

Manuel Pinto Grunfeld CEAUL/ULICES, School of Arts and Humanities, University of Lisbon https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0162-8866
William Afonso Cantú CEAUL/ULICES, School of Arts and Humanities, University of Lisbon https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4079-9884

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25145/j.pasos.2026.24.057

Keywords:

Cultural branding, Cultural representation, Tourism communication, Destination brands, United States, Territorial identity, Tourism imaginaries

Abstract

This article analyses how destination brands construct cultural representations on the primary official tourism platforms of the most visited states in the USA — New York, Florida, and California. Drawing on Jean-Noël Kapferer's Brand Identity Prism and Stuart Hall's theory of representation, the study examines how branding operates as a discursive and symbolic tool for the construction of territorial identity. Through a comparative reading of brand elements and communicational strategies on official websites, the analysis identifies dominant values, visual codes, and identity narratives that shape the perceived image of each place. The findings reveal distinct approaches to emotional engagement, cultural depth, and promotional discourse, demonstrating how destination brands operate as cultural artefacts that mediate the relationship between place, culture, and consumer. The article thus contributes to critical debates on cultural branding, tourism imaginaries, and the symbolic power of subnational place communication, highlighting the ways in which the USA's visual representation is articulated through the analysed brands.

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Editor & editorial board: profiles
Academic society: PASOS. Revista de Turismo y Patrimonio Cultural
Publisher: Instituto Universitario de Investigación Social y Turismo. Universidad de La Laguna (España) - Instituto Universitario da Maia ISMAI (Portugal)

Author Biographies

Manuel Pinto Grunfeld, CEAUL/ULICES, School of Arts and Humanities, University of Lisbon

Manuel Pinto Grunfeld holds a PhD in Culture Studies from the University of Lisbon (Lisbon, Portugal), a Master’s degree in Strategic Communication and Branding (Santiago, Chile), and a degree in Graphic Design (Santiago, Chile). He is a lecturer and researcher at the Centre for English Studies (ULICES/CEAUL), within the group English Studies: Culture (RG2), and a member of the Trends and Culture Management Lab. His research explores the intersections of visual communication, strategic communication, and culture with particular attention to destination branding, cultural trends, and visual narratives. He has developed semiotic and cultural methodologies for analysing tourism communication, advertisements, and consumer-generated content on digital platforms. His contributions include theoretical articulations between culture and destination branding, proposals for methodological frameworks to evaluate tourists’ perceptions, and analyses of how cultural and strategic insights can be integrated into branding practices. Earlier work examined the semiotic-discursive reconstruction of the place brands of Chile and Portugal and the role of cultural icons in shaping collective identity. His current research agenda focuses on how digital environments mediate tourists’ experiences of destinations and how cultural analysis can support the design of innovative communication strategies.

William Afonso Cantú, CEAUL/ULICES, School of Arts and Humanities, University of Lisbon

William Cantú holds a PhD and a Post-Doctorate in Culture Studies from the University of Lisbon, where he also earned a Master’s degree in Design and Visual Culture. He is an invited Assistant Professor at the School of Education and Social Sciences of the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, an integrated researcher at the University of Lisbon Centre for English Studies (ULICES/CEAUL), and Principal Investigator of the Laboratory of Trends and Cultural Management. He is also an assistant researcher at CI&DEI – Centre for Studies in Education and Innovation (Education for Entrepreneurship research line). His research focuses on sociocultural trend studies, semiotics, and cultural management, with particular attention to branding, consumption, and communication. He has published on methodological frameworks such as coolhunting, trend archaeology, and bibliometric analysis, applying them to areas including tourism branding, cultural participation, creative industries, and sustainable materials in design. His recent contributions explore tourists’ perceptions of destination brands on digital platforms, the articulation between strategy, culture, and trend analysis, and the role of subcultures and artistic practices in shaping emerging sociocultural changes. Cantú’s work combines theoretical and applied perspectives, bridging design, branding, and communication with cultural studies, and advancing methodologies for the interpretation of contemporary cultural dynamics.

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