Case B: Branding Nonmetropolitan Illinois – A Normative Decision Analysis

Abstract

An empirical fact about rural communities is that they tend to be branded by state officials as “escape destinations” for urban residents tired of city living. For example, the positioning statements of rural Illinois include themes such as “There’s a Place outside Chicago called Illinois”, and “Illinois: A Million Miles from Monday.” Since this practice ignores the complexity of rural place identity, this chapter utilizes residents’ perceptions to brand rural communities.