Confused branding? An exploratory study of place branding practices among place management professionals

Abstract

Although the knowledge about place branding and place management is growing, there is a substantial gap in the understanding of place branding among professionals responsible for the management of town and city centres, including private-public partnership formats such as business improvement districts (BIDs). This exploratory study addresses this knowledge gap through in-depth interviews with key professionals in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The results suggest that the strategic potential of place branding is negatively affected by a focus on operational thinking, which hinders innovation towards more holistic approaches to place management. Further quantitative research is needed to elaborate on these findings across the UK, Ireland and other countries to enhance the understanding of the uses and interpretations of place branding among town and city managers.

Tracing the Origins of Place Branding Research: A Bibliometric Study of Concepts in Use (1980–2018)

“…This phenomenon contributed to and stimulated the development of a discipline, which is currently known under the terms city branding or place branding. Place branding and its meaning have evolved considerably over the last 40 years [2][3][4] expanding in both breadth and focus. Sub-concepts such as regional branding, city branding, and to a less extent, town branding developed, each focusing on a different spatial scale [5].…”

A Short Reflection on City Branding and its Controversies

“…They seem to be disappointed that the daily reality of place branding is complex. For example, based on in‐depth interviews with professionals in the United Kingdom and Ireland, De Noronha et al (, p. 91) conclude that ‘the results suggest that the strategic potential of place branding is negatively affected by a focus on operational thinking'.…”

Országmárkázás – mégis milyen márkázás? A kapcsolódó branding-terminológiák és értelmezhetőségük egy ország esetében

“…Feltáró tanulmány a helymárkázás gyakorlatáról a helymenedzsmenttel foglalkozó szakértők körében" ("Confused branding? An exploratory study of place branding practices among place management professionals") (Noronha -Coca-Stefaniak -Morrison, 2017).…”