City brand strategy evaluation: in search of effectiveness indicators

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 187-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Herezniak ◽  
Justyna Anders-Morawska
Keyword(s):  
Public Management ◽  
Brand Management ◽  
Place Branding ◽  
Spillover Effects ◽  
Brand Strategy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
City Brand ◽  
Strategy Evaluation ◽  
Place Brand ◽  
The City

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyse a process for developing indicators of effectiveness for the city brand strategy. Design/methodology/approach – A single-case study method is used as the analytical approach. The proposed indicators of effectiveness were developed in cooperation between the municipal government of a large, post-industrial Polish city and representatives from academia. Findings – The paper addresses three important considerations to be taken into account by city managers when they seek to develop criteria for measuring the effectiveness of branding: links between tangible and intangible effects of brand implementation; spillover effects that sectoral strategies such as those aimed at urban renewal have on the city brand and vice versa; and the adoption of a threefold temporal regime whereby the effects of projects that contribute to the brand strategy are measured in the short, medium and long term. Research limitations/implications – The proposed approach offers a useful point of departure for place managers for the design of place brand strategy evaluation systems. The study is limited to the case of a single city. Practical implications – The merger of brand management and public management perspectives re-evaluates the existing attempts to measure place brand strategy effectiveness. The new approach stimulates place authorities to consider multiple perspectives on the methods and instruments of measurement. It also implies the organisational shift where a number of units from the city hall coordinate their efforts to contribute to the assessment of the brand strategy. Social implications – A more systematic approach to measurement of place brand strategy effectiveness can be used to increase the level of legitimacy of brand-related activities in the eyes of internal stakeholders and to increase the level of professionalism among the public officers responsible for effectiveness measurement. Originality/value – Theoretical considerations and the practice of place branding alike tend to give insufficient attention to criteria for measuring the effectiveness of place-branding strategies. This paper concentrates on the process of translating general strategic objectives into specific, measureable and time-bound operational indicators. The combination of theoretical insights into place branding together with public management grounds this approach in the administrative environment in which local authorities work.

The role of leadership and communication in internal city branding

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rico Piehler ◽  
Ayla Roessler ◽  
Christoph Burmann
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Branding ◽  
Brand Management ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Brand Commitment ◽  
City Branding ◽  
Brand Communication ◽  
Internal Branding ◽  
Content Type ◽  
City Brand ◽  
The City

Purpose This study aims to investigate the brand-oriented leadership of a city’s mayor and city online brand communication as brand management-related antecedents of residents’ city brand commitment. It thus examines if city brand managers can apply internal branding concepts from the corporate branding domain in a city branding context. Design/methodology/approach The relationships between the brand management-related antecedents and the internal city branding (ICB) objective are tested through structural equation modeling using cross-sectional survey data of 414 residents of a German city. Findings Both the brand-oriented leadership of the mayor in terms of acting as a role model by living the city brand and its identity and by showing commitment to the brand and the city’s online brand communication in terms of its quality have positive effects on residents’ city brand commitment. Moderation analyses reveal no significant differences between the path estimates for age, place of birth, duration of residency and education. However, the results differ significantly for gender. Research limitations/implications As this study’s sample is limited to only one city in Germany, further research needs to investigate the relationships in different cities and other countries to ensure the generalizability of the results. Future studies might also include other aspects of city brand communication, as well as cognitive and behavioural ICB objectives. Practical implications To increase residents’ city brand commitment, city brand managers should ensure that a city’s online brand communication is adequate, complete, credible, useful and clear. Furthermore, through creating awareness for the importance of a mayor’s brand-oriented leadership and through educating and training the mayor to engage in this specific form of brand-oriented transformational leadership, city brand managers can increase residents’ emotional attachment with the city brand. Originality/value This study integrates internal branding research from the corporate branding domain with place and city branding research. It confirms that certain aspects of internal branding (i.e. brand-oriented leadership, brand communication and brand commitment) are applicable not only in the corporate branding domain but also in other branding contexts such as city branding if adapted properly.

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.

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.

scholarly journals Questioning a “one size fits all” city brand

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 270-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Zenker ◽  
Erik Braun
Keyword(s):  
Urban Policy ◽  
Brand Management ◽  
Place Branding ◽  
Target Group ◽  
City Branding ◽  
Target Groups ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
City Brand ◽  
Definition Of

Purpose City branding has gained popularity as governance strategy. However, the academic underpinning is still poor, and city branding needs a more critical conceptualization, as well as more complex management systems. This paper challenges the use of a “one size fits all” city brand, which is still common practice in many places. The paper proposes that city branding involves much more complexity than is commonly thought and outlines a strategy that enables urban policy-makers, marketing researchers and (place) marketers alike to better deal with city branding. Design/methodology/approach The authors integrate insights from literature on place branding, brand architecture and customer-focused marketing. Findings The article argues that place brands (in general and communicated place brands in particular) are by definition very complex, due to their different target groups, diverse place offerings and various associations place customers could have. Thus, an advanced brand management including target group-specific sub-brands is needed. Practical implications The model will be helpful for place brand managers dealing with a diverse target audience, and is likely to improve the target group-specific communication. Originality/value The paper provides an insight into the complexity of city brands and acknowledges that the perception of city brands can differ considerably among different target groups. Additionally, it offers a more comprehensive definition of place brands. This will be helpful for city brand managers and researchers alike in dealing with city brand complexity.

Understanding resident city brand disengagement

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 172-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Insch ◽  
Menique Stuart
Keyword(s):  
Local Governments ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Brand Awareness ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Resident Participation ◽  
City Brand ◽  
Place Brand ◽  
The City ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors underlying residents’ lack of involvement and engagement with their city brand. This paper addresses the gap in understanding residents’ disengagement from their city brand. Design/methodology/approach – In-depth interviews with 14 residents of Dunedin City, New Zealand, were conducted to identify and understand the factors that underlie residents’ disengagement from their city brand. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings – Four major themes or factors that influence residents’ disengagement were identified: lack of brand awareness/knowledge; lack of brand identification; disapproval of local government actions; and cynical attitudes towards involvement. Research limitations/implications – This paper focuses on one city brand, with its unique history and institutional context, and the thoughts and experiences of a limited group of residents, thus limiting the applicability of the findings. A longitudinal study would be helpful to identify if residents’ engagement with their place brand change over time and the underlying reasons for such changes. Practical implications – Extant research highlights the importance of a participatory, co-creative process between citizens and local governments for building city brands. Despite this, this study’s findings demonstrate that there might be several formidable barriers to resident participation in their city’s branding process. Originality/value – This paper represents a first step in understanding what might trigger or contribute to residents becoming disengaged from their city’s brand. Therefore, this paper considers the “hidden voices” of residents who have become largely disconnected from the city brand.

You can’t govern if you don’t measure

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 545-565
Author(s):  
Magdalena Florek ◽  
Marta Herezniak ◽  
Anna Augustyn
Keyword(s):  
Measurement System ◽  
Public Management ◽  
Place Branding ◽  
City Branding ◽  
Reliable Measurement ◽  
Potential Measurement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
City Brand ◽  
Measurement Framework ◽  
Brand Measurement

Purpose The purpose of the study is to verify the theoretical assumptions based on literature review regarding the issue of brand effectiveness evaluation and the potential measurement framework, as well as to provide insights into the nature of effectiveness measurement of city brand strategies. The findings are considered important foundations for designing a place branding measurement system, which is the next step and final purpose of the author’s research project. Design/methodology/approach A total of 12 international academic experts from eight countries (in four continents) were individually interviewed. A semi-structured individual interview was applied as a research method. Sampling was purposive and the respondents represented the fields of marketing, place branding and public management. The standardized set of 19 open-ended questions was categorized into four themes (city brand effectiveness, methodology, measurement process and indicators). Findings The measurement of effectiveness of city branding should be treated as a strategic endeavor; however, it is a complex issue where political, social and methodological challenges overlap. Barriers to the development of a well-functioning measurement system include: too narrow understanding of what brand is, lack of knowledge or culture of measurement, conflicting political interests, reluctance to involve internal stakeholders, insufficient funding and complexity of the brand itself. The reliable measurement system should be characterized by attributes such as simplicity and durability, stakeholder inclusion, political rationale, adjustment to the specificity of the city and the independence of the measuring body/institution. Originality/value Up-to-date, common standards or universal measurement frames of the place branding measurement system do not exist. No discussion can be found in the literature on how such a system should be designed and implemented. Opinions of the experts interviewed provide important insights into the components and conditions of the reliable measurement system that would meet both methodological standards and practical needs. Further studies and analyses are however necessary to eventually compose the optimal city brand measurement system.

Place branding in a bottle: management strategies for unplanned messages

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Briana
Keyword(s):  
Brand Management ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Place Branding ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Communication Process ◽  
Spontaneous Order ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management And Development ◽  
Place Brand

Purpose This paper explores an important yet overlooked concept in place branding literature, unplanned messages. Focusing on unplanned messages, this study aims to contribute to a better understanding of the concept of spontaneous order in place branding and how to manage the unplanned communication process so as to ensure a high reputational status for a place. Design/methodology/approach This paper builds on past research on place brand communication and proposes a conceptual framework for unplanned messages. Findings Classification schemes for places and place brands are proposed, contributing to place brand management in three aspects: reviewing of decisions and strategies undertaken, assessing current situation and planning way forward when it comes to priorities for place management and development. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper that introduces the emergent image and presents a classification scheme for places that contributes to a strategic management program of unplanned messages in place branding.

An analysis of product-place co-branding: the case of Ceylon Tea

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 200-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wasanee Tharanga Ranasinghe ◽  
Park Thaichon ◽  
Malanee Ranasinghe
Keyword(s):  
Brand Management ◽  
Place Branding ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Tea Industry ◽  
Place Brand ◽  
Analyse Data ◽  
Advance Knowledge ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the applicability of the strategic place brand-management model (SPBM) for a product-place co-branding context, focussing on Sri Lanka’s tea industry. Design/methodology/approach Conducted as an exploratory case study, pattern matching and explanation building methods are employed to analyse data from secondary sources such as archival data and documentation. Findings Strategic components of place branding in SPBM are applicable for product-place co-branding, as evidenced in Sri Lanka’s tea industry, although key strategies appear to be reactive rather than proactive in this context. Practical implications The findings provide reassuring guidance to practitioners on applying strategic place branding models in product-place co-branding settings, given the unique risks associated with product-place co-branding. Originality/value Given the novelty of and the need to advance knowledge on product-place co-branding as a component of place branding, this study extends extant literature on the use of SPBM in a successful product-place co-branding setting. Additionally, it extends the value of place branding concepts for industries other than popularly studied tourism.

Social urbanism: public policy and place brand

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 326-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Doyle
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Social Problem ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Local Stakeholders ◽  
Place Brand ◽  
The City

PurposeThis paper aims to focus on how a public policy designed to address a social problem ultimately became the place brand.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses a qualitative case study approach focusing on the city of Medellín, Colombia. It draws from fieldwork conducted in Medellín over 2014 and 2015, including semi-structured interviews with an array of local stakeholders.FindingsThe paper concludes that local governments should be aware that the policymaking process can become part of their branding. It also shows the importance of the continual involvement of stakeholders in the place brand process to ensure it is a sustainable brand.Originality/valueThere are limited studies which focus on how a public policy designed to address a social problem ultimately becomes the place brand. This paper shows how a public policy, social urbanism, became the branding of Medellín.

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.

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