Branding the new city: exploring place branding in Saudi Arabia

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 254-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Turki Shoaib ◽  
Ramin Keivani
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Stakeholder Involvement ◽  
Place Branding ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
City Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Physical Form ◽  
Place Brand ◽  
New City

Purpose – This study aims to explore the development of a new city brand in Saudi Arabia. Place Branding theory is geared towards existing places and does not take into account newly developed cities. Here “Place Branding” takes on a new significance. How do we develop a brand for a city that does not yet exist? Who are the actors involved and how do they influence the process? Design/methodology/approach – The study uses discourse analysis to investigate the interplay between actors and place brand development in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) for two separate branding scenarios. It is further structured through the theoretical lens of actor-network theory (ANT) to take advantage of relational aspects that can lend insight on how a brand is created and enacted. Findings – Initial findings suggest that branding messages in KAEC are fragmented with little government or other stakeholder involvement leading to poor brand awareness and performance. The study also emphasises the importance of branding practices in the beginning stages of new city development. It further suggests that the message itself, the conceptual place brand, can represent a socially constructed idea or belief that can shape perceptions about the project before physical form is developed. Originality/value – The case study in Saudi Arabia will highlight the opportunities and pitfalls associated with place branding in the Middle East while comparing the findings with traditional place-branding approaches in existing cities. By contextualizing discourse analysis research within an ANT-based exploration of the KAEC brand’s gestation in Saudi Arabia, the study highlights the meaningfulness of a place brand construct in the process of city creation.

A deliberately emergent strategy – a key to successful city branding

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 90-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janne Lindstedt
Keyword(s):  
Place Branding ◽  
Place Identity ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
City Branding ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Emergent Strategy ◽  
Branding Strategies ◽  
Local Stakeholders ◽  
Place Brand

Purpose – The paper aims to address a neglected issue in the literature on place brand co-creation, namely, the strategic planning of the branding process. Furthermore, the paper demonstrates the benefits of a deliberately emergent strategy. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative case study focusing on Turku, Finland, supports the development of the argument. In this study, branding of Turku is examined both during the European Capital of Culture 2011 (ECoC) project and after it. Findings – The contribution of the ECoC 2011 project – which was widely perceived as a success – to Turku’s brand was based on a deliberately emergent strategy. Afterwards, the local government has, however, chosen a different approach to branding. Research limitations/implications – Given the increasing popularity of brand thinking among practitioners all over the world, it would be meaningful for scholars to pay more attention to the application of brand co-creation in place branding strategies. Practical implications – The deliberately emergent branding strategy could be considered an approach to applying the idea of brand co-creation in practice. It enables local stakeholders to make their voices heard and results in increased credibility of a branding process. Originality/value – Place brand co-creation has not yet been examined from strategic planning’s point of view. The need for this kind of examination is apparent, because branding strategies have traditionally been based on the idea of static place identity. The Turku case helps to propose a solution in terms of the notion of deliberately emergent branding.

scholarly journals Brand-driven identity development of places

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 152-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guenther Botschen ◽  
Kurt Promberger ◽  
Josef Bernhart
Keyword(s):  
Identity Development ◽  
Place Branding ◽  
Collaborative Action Research ◽  
Phase Model ◽  
Cultural Meanings ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Three Phase ◽  
Place Brand ◽  
Rural Places

Purpose This paper aims to present an interdisciplinary approach for the development and design of place brands, which goes far beyond communication strategies and advertising campaigns. The so-called “Brand-driven Identity Development of Places” (short: BIDP) approach provides a structured three-phase model that can serve as a practical guide for the development of commercial, touristy, urban and rural places. Design/methodology/approach Longitudinal collaborative action research over a time span of 20 years plus extended case study research supported the evolution of the BIDP approach. Findings BIDP is a circular three-phase model starting with the definition of the intended place brand identity, which in Phase 2 becomes translated into concrete touchpoint experiences along the main constituents of the place, and finally materialising into the new place format. The case study of the City of Innsbruck is prototypically used to illustrate the application of the designed approach and to report achieved results. Research limitations/implications Place brand development based on translating socio-cultural meanings into touchpoint experiences to materialise and align place constituents is opening up new avenues to initiate and govern place development. At present, the approach is based on case studies in the western region of Austria and South Tyrol. Practical implications The three-phase model represents a practical tool for place brand managers, who want to renew and to develop their place format in a structured way. The BIDP model can be applied for all forms of places. Social implications Foremost, the described place branding collaborations reassure the proposition of Olins (2002) and Schmidt (2007) that place branding is a crucial internal project that unites groups of people around a common strategic vision providing sense and direction besides reaching out to the traditional customer–stakeholder audience. Originality/value A structured model for brand-driven place development, which evolved during 20 years of longitudinal collaborative action research with executives and representatives of commercial, touristy, urban and rural places, BIDP locks into anthropological research findings where cultural meanings are considered as the main source for the construction of brand identities.

What’s love got to do with it? Place brand love and viral videos

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carola Strandberg ◽  
Maria Ek Styvén
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Word Of Mouth ◽  
Place Branding ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Brand Love ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cultural Aspects ◽  
Place Brand

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of brand love in place brand communication by incorporating potential antecedents and behavioral outcomes of place brand love in a social media setting. Design/methodology/approach Data were gathered from 281 residents and visitors of a place through an online survey focusing on a place brand video. Structural equation modeling was employed to examine the research model. Findings Results show that place brand love has a strong direct relationship with positive word of mouth (WOM), and an indirect effect on intention to share the place brand message. Self-expressiveness of the place brand message also seems to influence place brand love as well as intention to share the message. Research limitations/implications The role of self-related concepts and brand love to a place has theoretical implications for research in place branding and electronic word of mouth. The study has limitations to its generalizability in terms of cultural aspects and sample representativeness. Practical implications Place marketers need to successfully reflect the self-concept of key stakeholders in communication messages in order to increase the probability that recipients will engage in positive WOM and share the message. Originality/value Research on place brand love is scarce and previous studies have focused solely on brand love in connection to tourists. The main contribution of the current study is the exploration of the role of brand love in connection to residents, who are vital co-creators of the place brand.

Drivers and inhibitors of national stakeholder engagement with place brand identity

2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (7) ◽  
pp. 1445-1465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riza Casidy ◽  
Jessica Helmi ◽  
Kerrie Bridson
Keyword(s):  
Place Branding ◽  
Brand Identity ◽  
Marketing Theory ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Implementation Phase ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Country Brand ◽  
Place Brand ◽  
Implementation Stage

Purpose This paper aims to explore the factors that drive and inhibit national stakeholder organisations’ engagement with an established an umbrella place brand identity (PBI) in the context of country branding, during the PBI implementation stage. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a case study approach to examine Australia’s current country brand identity initiative: Australia Unlimited, as an example of PBI. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with senior executives (n = 39) representing 30 Australian national organisation stakeholders across a range of sectors (i.e. government agencies, public and private organisations and industry associations). Findings The tension between the PBI and the brand identity of the stakeholders’ own organisation was an emergent finding at the heart of potential disengagement. Moreover, stakeholders’ perception of the leadership of the organisation managing the place brand plays a key role in influencing their engagement with PBI. Research limitations/implications The findings contribute to place marketing theory by identifying drivers and inhibitors of stakeholders’ engagement that originated from the PBI itself (PBI-centred factors) and from the stakeholder organisations (stakeholder-centred factors). Practical implications The findings provide a practical framework for place brand managing organisations to foster stakeholders’ engagement during the implementation stage of a PBI initiative. Originality/value Place branding research to date has focussed primarily on resident stakeholders’ engagement in the development of PBI initiatives. This paper contributes to knowledge by proposing a framework that encompasses the drivers and inhibitors of national stakeholder organisations’ engagement with PBI during its implementation phase.

Dwelling form and culture in the traditional Najdi built environment, Saudi Arabia

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed M. AlNaim
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Dimensional Space ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Space Syntax ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Architectural Analysis ◽  
Whole Process ◽  
New Findings ◽  
Physical Form

PurposeThis study examines the built environment in the preserved historic settlements of the Najd region of Saudi Arabia, providing insight into shared core concepts and forms that were commonly shared across the settlement's dwellings before the Kingdom's period of modernization.Design/methodology/approachSpace syntax convex mapping and the justified access graphing as the main techniques to examine several internal elements at the building level. The study created elements such as connectivity, access graphs and depth graphs to understand the integration and placement of these elements to overcome surrounding forces. Also, the author combined graphical architectural analysis with space syntax techniques to understand the spatial and physical integration in three-dimensional space. This helped to establish a link between what is two-dimensional (the building layout) with what is three-dimensional (the physical form).FindingsThe paper found that the hierarchical order of internal spaces and the order's role in shaping the physical form served to satisfy the social behavior and environmental conditions. As a result, all building elements generated with the guidance of the main culturally rooted in support with internal spaces order. This order of spaces inside the house led the urban spatial hierarchy to connect but not conflict, as the whole process of generating the physical forms is to complement each other and to produce a unified built environment.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is limited to Najdi dwelling form and culture, the author believes expanding the number of study samples in the five traditional settlements or expanding the scope of the study to examine other Saudi regions may result in new findings and insights.Originality/valueThe paper offers and discusses two mechanisms on how to enhance the process of designing modern houses in similar cultures or elsewhere in the world. Also, how traditional dwelling elements generated with the guidance of the main, culturally rooted values and beliefs, in support of the internal spatial order.

Introducing bi-directional participatory place branding: a theoretical model with multi-stakeholder perspectives

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Varsha Jain ◽  
Preeti Shroff ◽  
Altaf Merchant ◽  
Subhalakshmi Bezbaruah
Keyword(s):  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Place Branding ◽  
Geographic Location ◽  
World Heritage ◽  
Brand Strategy ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Unique Contribution ◽  
Unesco World Heritage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Place Brand

Purpose A place brand is a culmination of its exclusive history, people and traditions that affect customer and community experiences. Place branding has become increasingly important for collective heritage brand strategy, as stakeholders undertake efforts to create an aura of a distinctive geographic location. Though place branding has received considerable scholarly attention, there is a lacuna: the role of residents as co-creators of a place and its heritage. Accordingly, this paper aims to develop a “bi-directional participatory place branding” model by applying the stimulus–organism–response approach grounded theory. Design/methodology/approach A grounded theory approach with multi-sited ethnography, personal interviews (with residents and city leaders) and observational techniques were adopted in a UNESCO world heritage city of India, Ahmedabad. Findings The findings indicate that the people (residents) aspect of place branding is associated with their life stories, past experiences, feelings and aspirations. However, the place acts as a nostalgia enabler, disseminating symbolic and heritage metaphors to residents and visitors as place brand ambassadors. When the place and people components are perceived positively, residents participate involve themselves with the place and thus, in turn, become the place ambassadors. Originality/value No prior studies have analyzed the association between residents, the place where they reside and the resultant behavior toward the place. The unique contribution is the bi-directional participatory place branding model, especially involving a UNESCO world heritage city rather than solely a site.

Authenticity, local creatives and place branding: a case study from the Blue Mountains, Australia

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrina Sandbach
Keyword(s):  
Stakeholder Participation ◽  
Place Branding ◽  
Creative Industries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Blue Mountains ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Brand Authenticity ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
Place Brand

Purpose This paper discusses the notion of authenticity and the role of local creatives in the place branding process based on a case study of Mtns Made, a brand for the creative industries in the Blue Mountains of Sydney, Australia. This paper aims to examine the development, implementation and management of a place brand from the ground-up and explore the implications for a situated place branding practice. Design/methodology/approach The concept of brand culture was used as a theoretical lens to view place branding. A qualitative case study approach was taken, incorporating the collection of primary and secondary documents, observation of online platforms and real-world events, field notes and personal reflection from an insider position. Findings The findings of this study suggest that local creatives can and have played a central role in place branding. The study also illustrates a model for place branding that centres on stakeholder participation in an ongoing process. Originality/value Local culture and creativity are largely viewed as assets for place branding; this paper draws attention to the agency of local creatives in the place branding process. This study offers three pillars of place brand authenticity and establishes a framework for place brand analysis based on a branding design strategy.

An assessment of place brand potential: familiarity, favourability and uniqueness

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 269-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chung-Shing Chan ◽  
Mike Peters ◽  
Lawal M. Marafa
Keyword(s):  
Brand Equity ◽  
Public Diplomacy ◽  
Brand Management ◽  
Place Branding ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Place Brand Equity ◽  
Management And Development ◽  
Place Brand

Purpose This paper aims to present an approach by which to assess the potential of branding a particular type of place resource or feature. Design/methodology/approach A review was conducted to analyse three key periodicals (Journal of Brand Management, Place Branding and Public Diplomacy and Journal of Place Management and Development) in the field of branding and place branding between 2000 and 2011. These three periodicals are recognized as the three leading periodicals of place branding, and they followed the clear establishment and development of the field of place branding. Findings Familiarity, favourability and uniqueness are the three dimensions that give a quick indication of the level of place brand equity, and in turn they represent the level of place brand potential. Research limitations/implications In the literature, brand potential is not well conceptualized. This paper identifies this knowledge gap through a review of place branding studies, and it closes the gap by connecting brand potential with place brand equity. Originality/value This paper suggests practical and research directions by which to study these three dimensions to generate valuable brands for places.

Toponyms as carriers of heritage: implications for place branding

2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulla Hakala ◽  
Paula Sjöblom ◽  
Satu-Paivi Kantola
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Place Branding ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Name Change ◽  
Home Town ◽  
Final Sample ◽  
Place Brand ◽  
Large Survey ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the role of a place’s name as the carrier of identity and heritage from the residents’ perspective. The authors assess the extent to which names of municipalities carry the place’s heritage, and how this can further be transferred to the place brand. The context is a situation in which a municipality changes its name, or is at the risk of doing so, as a result of municipal consolidation. Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted a large survey in the south-western Finland in spring 2013. The survey questionnaire was posted to 5,020 randomly selected residents, and the final sample comprised 1,380 recipients. The authors offer a framework for operationalising place heritage, comprising four components: history, place essence, symbols and residential permanence. Findings – Most respondents attached importance to the name of their home town. The majority also felt that a name change would mean losing part of the place’s history. A strong place heritage proved to correlate positively with the importance of the municipality name. Practical implications – The developed framework for place heritage can serve as a tool for place branding studies and practical place branding. A stable name has an essential role in branding places. The authorities should understand the crucial relationship between place name, heritage and identity, and their importance to the residents. Originality/value – To the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to report empirical research on the relation between place names and place branding from the heritage perspective.

scholarly journals Place branding: are we wasting our time? Report of an AMA special session

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic Medway ◽  
Kathryn Swanson ◽  
Lisa Delpy Neirotti ◽  
Cecilia Pasquinelli ◽  
Sebastian Zenker
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Place Branding ◽  
Special Session ◽  
Place Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Place Brand ◽  
Marketing Educators

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on a special session entitled “Place branding: Are we wasting our time?”, held at the American Marketing Association’s Summer Marketing Educators’ conference in 2014. Design/methodology/approach – The report details the outcome of an Oxford-style debate with two opposing teams of two persons – one team supporting and one team opposing the motion. The opening speaker of each team had 10 minutes to put their case across, and the closing speaker had 8 minutes. Teams took to the stand alternately, matching up against each other’s arguments. Findings – The outcome of the debate points towards a need for place brands to develop as more inclusive and organic entities, in which case it may be best for place practitioners to avoid creating and imposing a place brand and instead help shape it from the views of stakeholder constituencies. This shifts the notion of place branding towards an activity centred on “curation”. Originality/value – The use of a competitive debating format as a means for exploring academic ideas and concepts in the place management field.

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