When the locals are Othered: hybridized representations of Latin American cultures and identities through nation branding.

This article examines how Latin American countries use nation branding campaigns, primarily targeting educated, English-speaking Western audiences, to promote exports, tourism, and foreign direct investment between 2010 and 2020. It identifies two dominant strategies: portraying the "adventurous" foreigner exploring exoticized local cultures, and the "proud" local citizen presenting national products and identities for global consumption. The study introduces the concepts of "hybridization" and "equalization" to analyze how these campaigns create hybridized cultural representations that often reinforce an "Us" versus "Them" dichotomy, othering local populations while catering to Western expectations. It critiques nation branding as a market-driven practice that commodifies and simplifies complex national identities, calling for future approaches that depict more integrated and reciprocal interactions between foreigners and locals.