Defining the concepts of brand and city brand

Abstract

Brand as a concept and as a research topic is widely discussed in the academic world. A considerable number of scientific articles by foreign scientists are devoted to the study of brands and brands of cities.It should be noted, that there is no common understanding of the brand as a concept among experts and researchers. For example, some researchers define a brand as a trade mark that has a high reputation to a consumer, while others associate the concept of brand with a concept of image. Each scientist or specialist takes into account the specifics of the brand or the nuances of the brand, and this all complicates the interpretation of the brand, as well as its management. The situation is the same when it comes to the concept of a city brand. There are many definitions that explain what this concept means. For example, a city brand is a set of general associations that arise among residents and visitors of the city when this city is mentioned. However, it should be noted that the formation of a city brand is a set of measures aimed at creating a certain image of the city. In this case, branding of an entire city is a much more complex issue than branding a person or a product, since the target audience of a city is all citizens, tourists, officials and potential investors. Thus, the article is devoted to the definition and systematization of the concepts of “brand” and “city brand”. The author of the article analyzed the above terms which have been published in scientific scientific journals in the fields of marketing, brand management, economics and international management.