Contingent self-definition and amorphous regions: a dynamic approach to place brand architecture

This article explores the concept of contingent self-definition, whereby place brands employ flexible self-definitional approaches in constructing their place brand architecture. Adopting a view of regions as social constructs, the article builds on and extends previous work on place brand architecture by identifying the underlying factors that drive contingent self-definition decisions. Based on an empirical study of professionals tasked with managing region brands in the Netherlands, eleven factors are identified as drivers of contingent self-definition by place brands. These factors are grouped into four thematic categories: i) external perceptions, ii) proximity, iii) brand relationships, and iv) politics and power. A dynamic approach to place brand architecture is advocated, foregrounding the amorphous character of regions as social constructs that defy reification solely as fixed territorial-administrative spaces

Cultural intermediaries in place branding: who are they and how do they construct legitimacy for their work and for themselves?

This article applies a social constructionist approach to the analysis of the promotional actors in place branding. Previous studies have provided useful conceptual and empirical perspectives on place branding as an emerging practice in urban governance. However, little attention has been paid to the dispositions and occupational resources drawn upon by the promotional actors responsible for the design and implementation of place brand strategies. This article extends Bourdieu’s notion of cultural intermediaries to the field of place branding by analysing the promotional actors engaged in it. Through in-depth interviews with 16 professionals in Toronto, Canada, this paper employs a case study approach to identify the habitus, forms of social and cultural capital and field adaptation utilised by various promotional actors to not only construct legitimacy for their work for the city they represent, but also for themselves

Exploring the dimensions of place branding: an application of the ICON model to the branding of Toronto

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the place branding dimensions of a city undergoing a concerted effort to build a distinctive brand for itself. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative, exploratory approach is adopted, applying the ICON model of place branding to the multistakeholder city branding strategy of Toronto. A combination of interviews, participant observation, content analysis and professional reflection inform the study. Findings: Toronto’s emergence as a creative city with global standing has been achieved, in part, through a holistic and collaborative approach that is integrated, contextualized, organic and new. Practical implications: Place and destination promoters are offered a practical application of the ICON model of place branding, informing future initiatives and offering insight into good practice. Originality/value: Viewed through the lens of the ICON model, the paper provides insights into the collaborative and innovate practices that characterize effective city branding

Corporate identity orientation and disorientation: a complexity theory perspective

The importance of corporate identity to organizations is increasing, which has led to the conceptualisation of corporate identity orientation. This paper challenges existing thinking by suggesting that if corporate identity orientation exists, so could corporate identity disorientation. Using a complexity theory perspective this conceptual paper explores how orientation/disorientation could emerge, and how the two could be related. The paper concludes that a combination of orientation and disorientation could be beneficial for corporate identity development, and that disorientation need not be wholly negative. This is relevant because the environment organizations find themselves in increasingly causes identity disorientation, so exploring this further helps address this crucial issue. As such, this paper opens new directions for researchers to look at corporate identity development, and also for practitioners to embrace elements of disorientation and how it may help unlock new opportunities

The role of corporate identity management in the higher education sector: an exploratory case study

This paper examines the corporate identity concept from a multidisciplinary perspective and presents an empirical test of Melewar’s (2003) corporate identity model in creating competitive advantage in the context of the higher education sector. The various components of corporate identity are investigated and the results are presented in diagrammatic form in the proposed and updated corporate identity taxonomy. A qualitative exploratory approach was taken, comprising in-depth interviews with key informants involved in the implementation of corporate identity at a major UK university. The taxonomy illustrates communication, design, culture, behaviour, structure, industry and strategy as the main components of corporate identity. The study also demonstrates how and where issues of corporate identity are discussed within an organization and how the results of these discussions are fed into management structure. As with any such exploratory case study, there are limits to the generalizability of the findings. Further research is required to ascertain whether the findings of this study also apply in other settings. The results will be helpful to communication professionals who deal with an organization’s corporate identity, branding, and communication and who aim to enhance the consistency of messages both written and visual within their organization

IMC antecedents and the consequences of planned brand identity in higher education

Purpose – This study identifies IMC antecedents and the consequences of planned brand identity in the context of higher education, and empirically tests a number of hypotheses related to the constructs of these antecedents and consequences. Design/methodology/approach – A model of the IMC antecedents and consequences of planned brand identity was tested in a survey conducted among stakeholders in two London-based Universities. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was applied to gain insight into the various influences and relationships. Findings – The study identifies and confirms key constructs in planned brand identity. IMC antecedents of planned brand identity, such as brand elements, service attributes, public relations, and place/country-of-origin were found to positively influence the planned brand identity consequences of awareness, image, and reputation. However, websites, social media, advertising and direct marketing were not found to have significant influence. Research limitations/implications – The focus on two UK universities limits the generalisability of the findings. Future research should be conducted in other country settings in order to test the relationships identified in the present study. Also, future research may build on the study’s findings by investigating the attitudinal and behavioural consequences of brand identification in the higher education context. Practical implications – Professionals responsible for universities’ promotional and branding activities need to evaluate the relative contributions of the IMC antecedents of planned brand identity. Brand elements such as design, color and name, for example, should be reviewed to determine whether modifications are required in different international markets. The increasing prevalence of social media, one of the key antecedents of brand awareness, offers opportunities for universities to engage in brand co-creation by interacting with past, present and future students on relevant digital platforms. Finally, the place/country-of-origin cue is of particular relevance to institutions of higher education given the increasing numbers of students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels who are choosing to study abroad (Melewar and Akel, 2005). The attraction of the United Kingdom as a country to study in, or the appeal of individual cities such as London, should be fully integrated into universities’ IMC strategies. Originality/value – The study makes two main contributions. First, we make a theoretical contribution by identifying the core IMC antecedents and consequences of planned brand identity for universities and from this extrapolate key directions for future research. Second, we indicate a number of managerial implications designed to assist in the formulation of improved professional practice

Branding the nation: Towards a better understanding

This paper aims to clarify some misunderstanding about nation branding. It examines the origins and interpretations of the concept, and draws a comparison between nation branding and commercial branding. A new definition is offered that emphasises the need to shift from “branding” the nation to nation image management

Political branding: sense of identity or identity crisis? An investigation of the transfer potential of the brand identity prism to the UK Conservative Party

Brands are strategic assets and key to achieving a competitive advantage. Brands can be seen as a heuristic device, encapsulating a series of values that enable the consumer to make quick and efficient choices. More recently, the notion of a political brand and the rhetoric of branding have been widely adopted by many political parties as they seek to differentiate themselves, and this has led to an emerging interest in the idea of the political brand. Therefore, this paper examines the UK Conservative Party brand under David Cameron’s leadership and examines the applicability of Kapferer’s brand identity prism to political branding. This paper extends and operationalises the brand identity prism into a ‘political brand identity network’ which identifies the inter-relatedness of the components of the corporate political brand and the candidate political brand. Crucial for practitioners, this model can demonstrate how the brand is presented and communicated to the electorate and serves as a useful mechanism to identify consistency within the corporate and candidate political brands

How does Brazil measure up? Comparing rankings through the lenses of nation brand indexes

A considerable amount of literature has been published on nation brand and yet not much regarding measurement. The purpose of this paper is to examine nation brand indexes and explore the unbalanced outcomes of a country’s position in these recognized instruments. Although research has been carried out on nation brand, no single study exists comparing a country in four diverse nation brand indexes, which are the reputable ones by Anholt (2007), Fetscherin (2010), Fombrun (2014) and Anholt and Govers (2014). This paper also reflects on the critical studies perspective of the place branding research domain, discussed by Lucarelli and Berg (2011). After a qualitative approach applied to Brazil, it is believed that these indexes mutually support and complement each other - even though they use different approaches, methodologies, samples, and data. Moreover, each of them has their own strengths and weaknesses in terms of accuracy and rationality. Findings from this paper’s evaluation may guide nation brand managers, governments, and researchers to recognize that indexes should be taken into account when analysing a nation brand and its complex image. Therefore, this paper contributes to existing knowledge on the critical studies perspective of the contemporary theoretical structure of the place branding research domain by providing a comparative study based on real data-based rankings of nation brand indexes

Super diversity and city branding: Rotterdam in perspective

As many other cities around the world, Rotterdam has been investing in improving its image to stimulate urban development and to attract visitors, residents and investors. In particular, during the last 15 years the municipality of Rotterdam has intensified its attempts to develop a ‘brand’ that fits the ‘new Rotterdam’, which was gradually rebuilt after destructive bombardments during the Second World War (Riezebos 2014). In 2014 Rotterdam was ranked 8th by ‘Rough Guide’ in the list of ‘Top 10 Cities to See’, whereas the ‘New York Times’ listed Rotterdam in the top 10 of 52 Places to Go. These rankings demonstrate Rotterdam’s success in repositioning itself, using the physical interior of the city as a key element in its branding strategy.</p