Place Branding Research Articles

Designing healthier cities to improve life quality: unveiling challenges and outcomes in two Spanish cases

ABSTRACT This study assesses the early outcomes of the Poblenou Superblock in Barcelona and a nature-based solutions project in Valladolid. By critically analysing available data and collecting residents’ perceptions, the analysis depicts to what extent the project’s interventions enhanced environmental quality and residents’ well-being. Results highlight the role of the traffic space recovery strategy in Barcelona as a driver for larger benefits, allowing the creation of socially attractive public spaces along with greenery. This led to more appreciated interventions, possibly boosted by the post-pandemic context and city branding strategy. A potential downside concerns the likely gentrification processes triggered by these improvements.

Place branding and sustainable development: a scoping review

Place branding and sustainable development: a scoping review

Conceptualizing digital placemaking in nature for wellbeing

Increased urban population has created a disconnection between humans and natural environments that needs to be recognised as a key challenge. This article proposes that disconnection from nature in urban settings can be mitigated by digital placemaking. A conceptual framework which accounts for place attachment and place branding, Social Identity Theory and nature connectedness is presented. The benefit of this approach is that it can help us understand more clearly the different dynamics involved in hybrid place experience as a driver for both social change and consumer wellbeing. This modified hybrid tripartite model creates meaningful places for consumers, fostering their attachment to the space and with others, while simultaneously enhancing their wellbeing. In addition, the model contributes to our understanding of place branding effects on consumers beyond commercial outcomes; explaining the positive effects on wellbeing of nature-based digital placemaking; and providing clarity on the role of technology in nature-based place brand experiences. In synthesising the different dimensions of the framework, potential implications for place managers, marketers and leaders are outlined.

City Font Design in Destinations Branding

Letter design plays a crucial role in establishing city branding. This letter is a representation of the appearance and nature of the city. The objective of this research is to find out how to design letters from branding in several cities worldwide. This research is vital and timely, as effective city branding relies on visual design elements, including typography. This study aims to determine the number of cities that apply branding using unique letter shapes. Additionally, it also aims to see the application of city-specific fonts in branding and determine their effect on the visual strength of branding. The study employs the Contextual Design method, using the Requirements and solutions to define and Validate Concepts and Processes. The results of this study are the letter designs used in city branding in several places in the world. These findings serve as valuable references for designers and offer insights into societal perceptions. Keywords: font design, city branding, city font

Politicizing, policizing and beyond neoliberalism: Understanding Chinese city branding from the case of Chongqing

This study seeks to explain the Chinese conception of city branding. Given the intricate and multidisciplinary nature of city branding, the article aims to address a gap in the literature and provide a direction to a deeper understanding of city branding from the Chinese socialism context. Taking a case study approach, the article analyses a significant body of discussion resulting from in-depth interviews with branding experts and government officials in Chongqing, the case study city. The analysis focuses on the role of the government and reveals that city branding in China is influenced, and largely controlled, by the national government. The discussion of the agents of Chinese city branding, city branding as a government tool, and the tendency towards policization, which means that city branding is implemented as part of urban policy, contributes to the theoretical growth of current city branding beyond a neoliberal perspective.

Connecting place branding to social and governance constructs in Johannesburg, South Africa

Employing Johannesburg as a case, this paper explores the intersections of place branding with pervasive, often taken-for-granted phenomena, including culture, democracy, urban governance, gender and public diplomacy. The paper argues that these intersections are seldom the subject of place branding scholarship, even in the global North, where the discipline receives considerable inquiry. The paper undertakes a multidisciplinary review of the literature to situate place branding and its relation to culture, democracy, urban governance and public diplomacy. Delving deeper into the literature surrounding place branding and its relation to culture, democracy, urban governance and public diplomacy reveals the need for a more comprehensive and nuanced approach to understanding the impact of place branding. By situating place branding within these broader contexts, the paper opens new avenues for inquiry and challenges the predominant lenses through which place branding has been traditionally studied. Through delving deeper into place branding scholarship, the paper introduces a new term, “mentrification”, to enhance descriptions of placeholder disengagement and to add to the emerging lexicon of place branding. Ultimately, this paper serves as a valuable contribution by offering a new outlook on the complexities of place branding, moving beyond traditional efficacy measurements and definitional issues to delve into the deeper layers of its impact on society.

Digital Image Shaping of Micro-celebrity City: Brand Building and Communication of Chongqing City Image on the Platform of TikTok

This paper aims to discuss how the social media platform represented by TikTok influences and shapes the micro-celebrity city in the digital era. This paper takes Chongqing as the research object. Through in-depth analysis and interviews, it was found that Chongqing is very popular on TikTok because of its unique three-dimensional traffic, magical architecture, and food culture. These elements form a unique visual symbol of Chongqing through creative digital image expression and social interaction, attracting many tourists and deepening people’s impression and comprehension of the city. This study reveals the crucial role of digital images in shaping the image of contemporary cities and provides new perspectives and strategic suggestions for urban brand management and social media marketing. Through an in-depth discussion of content creation, communication mechanisms, and user interaction on platforms such as TikTok, this study provides valuable insights and references for city image communication and city brand building.

Does “National Civilized City” policy mitigate air pollution in China? A spatial Durbin difference-in-differences analysis

“National Civilized City” (NCC) is regarded as China’s highest honorary title and most valuable city brand. To win and maintain the “golden city” title, municipal governments must pay close attention to various key appraisal indicators, mainly environmental ones. In this study we verify whether cities with the title are more likely to mitigate SO2 pollution. We adopt the spatial Durbin difference-in-differences (DID) model and use panel data of 283 Chinese cities from 2003 to 2018 to analyze the local (direct) and spillover effects (indirect) of the NCC policy on SO2 pollution. We find that SO2 pollution in Chinese cities is not randomly distributed in geography, suggesting the existence of spatial spillovers and possible biased estimates. Our study treats the NCC policy as a quasi-experiment and incorporates spatial spillovers of NCC policy into a classical DID model to verify this assumption. Our findings show: (1) The spatial distribution of SO2 pollution represents strong spatial spillovers, with the most highly polluted regions mainly situated in the North China Plain. (2) The Moran’s I test results confirms significant spatial autocorrelation. (3) Results of the spatial Durbin DID models reveal that the civilized cities have indeed significantly mitigated SO2 pollution, indicating that cities with the honorary title are acutely aware of the environment in their bid to maintain the golden city brand. As importantly, we notice that the spatial DID term is also significant and negative, implying that neighboring civilized cities have also mitigated their own SO2 pollution. Due to demonstration and competition effects, neighboring cities that won the title ostensibly motivates local officials to adopt stringent policies and measures for lowering SO2 pollution and protecting the environment in competition for the golden title. The spatial autoregressive coefficient was significant and positive, indicating that SO2 pollution of local cities has been deeply affected by neighbors. A series of robustness check tests also confirms our conclusions. Policy recommendations based on the findings for protecting the environment and promoting sustainable development are proposed.

GIS based daily tourism route proposal for surrounding provinces and districts from Ankara’s Çankaya district (Turkey)

AbstractWith the dynamic evolution of the tourism sector, a multitude of shifts in tourism activities and traveler motivations have transpired. These changes, spurred by technological advancements, economic fluctuations, and geopolitical developments due to heightened global competition, have introduced a fresh dimension to tourism dynamics. Significantly, the strategic creation of new tourism itineraries has become pivotal, given the tourism sector's integral role in city branding. In this study, the focal point was the Çankaya district within the Ankara province, deemed a central reference. Positioned at the heart of Turkey, Ankara province boasts the second-largest population according to TUIK (2020) data. Within this province, Çankaya district stands as the most densely populated, rendering it the designated study area. In Çankaya, which is one of the most heavily employed areas by public workers in Turkey, strategically positioned and with high population potential, the tourism planning of day trips, especially on weekends, is crucial to be conducted within the framework of time–distance savings. Without such planning, it might be challenging to achieve an efficient travel organization, especially for tourists who allocate fewer resources to travel planning in recent years, have limited time, and are selective about tourism destinations. In line with the research problem, the aim of the study is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of tourism accessibility, using the example of Çankaya district in Ankara, and to visualize the results of the analysis within a quantitative methodology framework to present concrete outputs. The more specific objective of this study is to determine a tourism route that allows tourists to reach important tourist attractions in the shortest and most convenient routes within the framework of time–distance savings, with a maximum travel time of 3 h in the research area. The expected scientific contributions from the objectives are as follows: contributing to transportation optimization related to tourism, bringing attention to historical, natural, and cultural places within the determined tourism route that are still undiscovered, less known, or not evaluated as individual tourism destinations, providing valuable information to destination managers, raising awareness about tourism opportunities in each destination, and contributing economically to the region. Employing a quantitative methodology, the study hinged on time-based road matrix analysis, facilitated by Geographical Information Systems, to chart routes from Çankaya district to surrounding districts. During this analysis, preference was given to routes with gentle curves, mitigating negative impacts on vehicle speed compared to more convoluted alternatives. Subsequently, leveraging 21 distinct types of tourism attractions, tourism sites feasible for visits within 1, 2, and 3-h intervals were pinpointed. At the study's culmination, an assemblage of 841 daily tourist destinations in and around Ankara were meticulously delineated and cartographically depicted using MapInfo Pro 2019.3 version. This endeavor underscores a concerted effort to offer tourists, both local and beyond, a well-crafted roadmap to explore and relish the plethora of cultural, historical, and natural treasures that Ankara and its neighboring regions have to offer.

Country branding through the internationalization of higher education: the case of Egypt

PurposeDrawing from the literature on internationalization, higher education marketing and place branding, this paper aims to link the internationalization of higher education to country branding. It explores the impact of internationalization within the higher education system on Egypt’s destination brand equity. This investigation offers insights for decision-makers in both the higher education and country branding sectors.Design/methodology/approachThis empirical paper adopts an exploratory approach and serves as an initial step for researchers. It utilizes a quantitative methodology, employing a survey with 366 responses, to examine the effects of internationalization efforts in higher education on country brand equity.FindingsThe results reveal a direct correlation between student engagement and the brand equity of international branch campuses (IBCs), as well as a link between IBCs and Egypt’s brand equity. Notably, the study highlights the mediating role of IBC brand equity in the relationship between student engagement and the overall brand equity of Egypt.Originality/valueThis paper is innovative in its method of assessing the impact of internationalization efforts in higher education, specifically at IBCs in Egypt, on Egypt’s destination brand equity. Additionally, the study identifies student engagement as an antecedent to IBC brand equity.

A Study on the Way to Improve Brand Vitality in Xuchang City from the Perspective of New Productivity

The Three Kingdoms are rich in cultural resources, not only have a large number of historical relics of the Three Kingdoms, but also have a unique regional story of the Three Kingdoms. Under the perspective of new quality productivity, how to better develop the culture of the Three Kingdoms to enhance the vitality of Xuchang city brand. This paper will study the cultivation of cultural industries in the Three Kingdoms, the promotion and marketing of them more effectively at home and abroad, and strive to achieve positive research results in theory and practice.

Design and Dissemination of Short Video Numbers Based on Changsha's City Image of "Media Art Capital"

In order to show Changsha's unique and recognizable characteristics in the media field, this paper takes the clear positioning of the city, the direction of the crowd and the needs of the users as the starting point, and carries out the design practice and communication promotion based on Changsha's image as the "city of media and art". The study adopts research methods such as practice method, literature method and comparative analysis method, starting from the dimensions of design positioning and design principles, and through the narrative mode of "scene + viewpoint or emotion", the study designs and disseminates the "Changsha City of Media Arts" Shake video number, providing new perspectives for city branding and promoting the city image. It provides a new perspective and method for city branding, and at the same time builds a comprehensive and multi-dimensional spatial ecological communication cluster.

Cultural branding of cities: the role of live music in building a city’s brand

ABSTRACT This research explores the role of live music infrastructure and music cultural identity in building a city’s brand through a multiple case study comparing the cities of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Montreal, Canada. We conducted 60 interviews and observed 35 live music events in cities known for their strong live music traditions. The results show a relationship between live music infrastructure and identity that affects city branding. Rio’s music identity has developed from grassroots, while Montreal’s is shaped by government-funded efforts. Our findings suggest that a favorable infrastructure and environment can contribute to developing a city’s identity over time. Our study also highlights that when a city’s musical identity is strong, live music can survive in the city’s neighborhoods despite poor infrastructure. We discuss implications for academics, urban planners, and city branding professionals.

Branding of Russian Cities: Practice Review of Russian Federation Regional “Capitals”

The use of marketing tools in state and municipal management, one of which is geo-branding, is becoming an increasingly common practice. Many cities in our country strive to create their own unique geo-brands based on their competitive advantages in order to promote their own values and interests in the highly competitive “territory market”, as well as attract the necessary resources, including tourists, investors, residents, etc., depending on the tasks set. The city’s geo-branding strategy is aimed not only at external, but also at internal audiences (the population, local businesses, authorities, etc.), which helps to increase the loyalty of citizens to their place of residence. Moreover, in the process of interacting with the outside world, local residents themselves become bearers of their city’s brand. The article is devoted to the study of the current state of geo-breading in Russia on the example of the administrative centers of the subjects of the Russian Federation. The study was conducted through content analysis of the Internet communication network in November–December 2023. As a result, a classification was compiled in which cities were divided into three groups: cities with documented branding concepts and other signs of systemic marketing activity; cities with signs of systemic geo-branding, but being only part of a regional brand or tourist route (without an independent brand); cities without signs of systemic geo-branding. Based on the analysis, general trends in the field of Russian city geo-branding were also identified and recommendations were made for each of the groups of cities of the received classification.

Registering Ternate City People’s Traditional Knowledge as Property Rights

<p>Traditional knowledge is a subset of intellectual activity that stems from a country's collective ideas, opinions, or discoveries. This research aims to analyze: (1) The municipal government provides legal protection for intellectual property rights in traditional knowledge to increase the welfare of Ternate City inhabitants and (2) the potential for registering intellectual property rights related to traditional knowledge from 2019 to 2023 in Ternate City. The legislation method and the case approach were used in this empirical study. The most feasible way for the Indonesian government to protect traditional knowledge now is to strengthen the database on traditional knowledge. Special regulations are urgently needed that regulate the implementation of licensing procedures for users of Traditional Knowledge. The urgency of this research because It was found that from 2019 to 2023 in Ternate City, no traditional knowledge database yet existed. On this basis, there needs to be tactical steps from the Ternate City Regional Government in encouraging city branding about the utilization of traditional knowledge. The novelty of this research because Ternate has an abundant amount of traditional knowledge from its hundreds of ethnic groups that need to be legally protected but nearly zero traditional knowledge is processed with property rights. This paper is urgent and it contributes to science as it provides knowledge on how to legally protect this valuable knowledge.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong><em> </em></strong></p>

Accelerating research processes with Scopus AI: A place branding case study

Academic databases play a crucial role in advancing science by hosting a vast array of peer-reviewed literature. However, academic database search tools involve a relatively slow and rather unintuitive process of searching and evaluating content. To address these challenges, in January 2024, Elsevier introduced Scopus AI, a generative artificial intelligence that synthesises evidence indexed in Scopus based on prompts. This study assesses the utility of Scopus AI (in its beta version at the time of the research), within the context of a doctoral thesis through a specific case study. By employing a relational prompt and three follow-up questions, the study aims to pinpoint intersections between different topics within the realm of Social Sciences and, more specifically, Communication, with a case on place branding. The consolidated result provides an initial list of references, offers a comprehensive overview, and allows to generate a meta-synthesis based on the summaries provided by each prompt. Scopus AI (beta) presents features that enable researchers to identify influential authors and works, explore relevant keywords, review recent literature, and identify potential research gaps. Although Scopus AI has some limitations, such as the dependence on the abstracts of documents indexed in Scopus, the simplification of concepts, or the relative disconnection between arguments, the results demonstrate the value of this tool in accelerating research processes, as it synthesises research in a given area, maps its main characteristics and allows for information discovery.

Branding a small state as an innovation business partner

AbstractApproximately 50 small countries depend on international cooperation for their survival as sovereign nations. This case study contributes to the discussion of cosmopolitanism versus internationalism in public diplomacy and place branding. It argues that limited bilateral partnerships with universities and businesses based on government-to-government agreements and shared interest are a safer strategy for small countries seeking reputational security than outspoken support for cosmopolitan values. This strategy is a very useful form of place branding, especially in times of crisis and uncertainty. The case examined is Innovation Centre Denmark, with offices in innovation hotspots in various countries. It organizes its activities as bilateral triple helixes, inspired by the work of Henry Etzkowitz and his colleagues. The center developed as part of a nation branding strategy launched by Denmark, a small Nordic country, following the so-called Muhammad crisis in 2005–2006. Then Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen described the controversy as Denmark’s worst international relations incident since WW2, as it damaged the country’s brand in some parts of the world. The article is multidisciplinary in nature, as it combines theories from international relations, business studies, and communication. The public diplomacy approach adopted is primarily represented by Nicholas Cull and his colleagues.

How can “Katowice as European City of Science” change Silesia region: Recognising perspectives of private companies

The study analyses, the perception of the European City of Science (ECS) initiative planned event in Katowice in the context of the city and region's development in the eyes of private companies. It has been argued that this honour may change the city's prestige and become the source of the city and the region's development, not only through building the city's recognisable brand but also its social capital. Using focus research as a method enables not only to collect empirical data but can also be treated as a form of public participation. The study results contribute to the growing body of literature on public engagement and co‐creation as well as place branding. The study's findings show the companies' expectations concerning the role of universities and their participation in the region's development. They were the foundation for preparing a set of suggestions for local governments to successfully implement the ECS initiative. This paper is the first to examine the process of preparing a city to become an ECS, as demonstrated through the case study of Katowice.

Place branding as rural development policy in China: the case of Guangshan county

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the rationale, the process and the outcomes and risks of place branding in rural China.Design/methodology/approachAn in-depth case study analysis, including interviews, has been conducted.FindingsPlace branding in the case of China is practiced and dominated through administrative entities by using subsidies and regional development programs to coordinate, organize and promote local agricultural resources. Although this government-led place branding has effective effects on rural development, it is unsustainable and unstable because it lacks sufficient market and stakeholder participation.Research limitations/implicationsThe effectiveness of place branding in China has been examined and proved.Practical implicationsThe government’s role in place branding in China should be adjusted. The government should position itself as a service and auxiliary role. Simultaneously, it should strengthen market-oriented operations and stakeholder participation in place branding.Originality/valueThis paper is one of the first contributions to examine the impact of place branding as a rural development policy tool in China, and the in-depth case study examines and proves the effectiveness of place branding in rural China.

Triggering place brand loyalty: the nexus between place brand credibility, fascination and attachment

ABSTRACT The study aims to develop a comprehensive model that examines the effect of place brand credibility (PBC) and destination fascination (DF) on place attachment (PA) and place brand loyalty (PBL). A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data from tourists. The purposive sampling procedure was used to collect the responses from 340 tourists who have visited popular tourist places in India. The results indicate that PBC and DF have positive and statistically significant effects on PA and PBL. Additionally, the study confirms the significant impact of PA on PBL. The study not only contributes to the academic understanding of these intricate relationships but also provides practical insights for destination marketers, policymakers and industry practitioners.