Place branding strategies through Winter Olympic games

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to examine how place branding strategies, undertaken by countries which belong to distinctive clusters, can manifest differently via the Winter Olympic Games.MethodsIn this paper, the experiences of Winter Olympics hosted by three countries (Russia, South Korea, China), are examined using Richelieu et al.'s framework, alongside clusters introduced in 2022. The study adopts a content analysis.FindingsThe framework is validated: the perceived importance of soft power and a country's resources, differences in the measures and strategies used by the host countries, are confirmed.Practical implicationsCountries that set higher importance on sport diplomacy (Russia and China: "diplomacy branding") are more assertive. In contrast, South Korea takes a more balanced approach, as it considers its action across a wider spectrum of areas ("balanced structure").Research contributionThe framework can explain the differences in the experiences of host countries, by also referring to the public choice theory. This paper illustrates how place branding strategies through sporting events, such as Winter Olympics, can differ between countries depending on the perceived role of public diplomacy, sport diplomacy, soft power and the economic resources invested.Originality/ValueThe article widens avenues for future research on major sporting events, through different clusters, by borrowing a holistic approach.