Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Victor-Alexandru BRICIU1
1
Department of Social Sciences and Communication, Transilvania University of Brasov.
10 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braov Series VII Vol. 6 (55) No. 1 - 2013
"Sardinia - Proud to Be Different" and Borrowing from the techniques and ideas
"There is Nothing Beyond Groningen". developed from the general theory of
The evolution of these concrete branding and, in particular, by
expressions of place marketing show that increasingly accepting the rising
the image people have developed of the importance of the concept of corporate
regions in question has become more branding, these articles discuss the
realistic and has positively influenced over similarity between the general concepts of
the years. Some people have said that if branding with place branding and the
there had not been such promotional attempt to propose a general framework
campaigns, would not consider these for developing and managing place brands
locations as areas for business, residence (Hankinson, 2001; Hankinson, 2004;
or leisure and entertainment. [5 p.273-4]. Kavaratzis, 2004), or examining the
There was a strong exchange of best suitability of specific branding
practices between commercial marketing instruments for the case of city branding
and "destination marketing" for decades, (Trueman et al., 2004). This latter model
and indeed the term "destination branding" is characterized by the attempt of
is been in use for more than ten years implementing corporate branding
(although it is also the cause of concepts and specific methodologies
considerable confusion, it is often wrongly developed in this field to place branding
conflated with place branding or nation theory.
branding). [3, p.3]. As M. Kavaratzis also states [6, p.60]:
The difference between a destination "One concept that has emerged in recent
product and a destination brand is that the years and has a clear and direct relevance
first is a neutral description that has no to marketing implementation in cities is
emotional value invested in it. A the concept of corporate branding and
destination brand, on the other hand, is a corporate-level marketing, which is a
description of the core essence of the theoretical and practical development of
place in terms of its values as perceived by the earlier concepts of corporate image
consumers, is about the emotional and corporate identity (eg Balmer, 1998;
relationship between the place and its Balmer and Greyser, 2003)."
visitors - how they perceive the enduring In the past, the concept of strategic
nature of the destination in relation to other place marketing, idea developed by Kotler
places. In short, it is about the personality et al. (1993), was among the first to adopt
of the place and how it makes people feel a clear position that places must organize
about it. [1, p.11]. as business and promote themselves, if
M. Kavaratzis [7, p.3] introduces the they are to respond adequately to the
synonymy of two concepts: "place threats of global competition,
branding / city" (e.g. as far as the city is technological change and urban decay.
synonymous with a concrete and specific [3, p.2].
form of a place, a region, then Brasov can The concept of place image (described
be considered a form, a variety of place above as a specific concept for the
branding), considering them as the final corporate environment) is brought into
trends in the literature, and they can be question and its importance recognized by
found in a significant number of scientific Kotler's early work, but place marketing
articles discussing the possibility of using is still seen as a tool to sell products,
branding as an approach to integration, services and attractions a space in a more
guidance and focus of place management. efficient way, and not for tackling the
12 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braov Series VII Vol. 6 (55) No. 1 - 2013
and live. In this way, the regions The entities involved in the process of
undermine their own competitiveness: the branding should not ask themselves "What
real competitive advantages can be can we say or do to become famous?" But
achieved by creating or emphasizing local "What can we do to make the region
conditions - or in other words "trend noticed?" The relevance of a particular
through tradition". [5, p.274]. region to an audience, to its publics
There would be an elementary question involves a limited number of concepts
about the image of a region or location which, very often, are removed from the
which has often been addressed in the discourse of branding. The first concept,
literature, and which further remained which accidentally is also one of the basic
largely unresolved: the regions benefit rules of a marketing action strategy,
more if they have a clear and simple image involves grounding a very clear analysis of
or is more preferable that they have a rich the perceptions, needs, habits and
one, complex or even contradictory? aspirations of the target audience of the
Simon Anholt [2, p.91-6] proposes an brand.
explanation to this question, assuming that S. Anholt [2, p.94] performs a critic to
branding is definitely seen as a process of governmental teams dealing with place
reduction, simplification. Clarity, branding, as they rarely managed to
determined by a distinct or unique discover and value other plans than the
positioning, is often invoked as a product internal one, ending in simply describing
only opportunity to change the consumers that location, repeating lists of
indifference of many competitive choices, achievements and attributes, carefully set
to stand up in the the chaos of the out previously. This shows a serious
marketplace and the clutter of the media. marketing mistake by not providing any
[2, p.91]. reason for purchase, failing to demonstrate
But, as the authors arguments continue, any ways to understand the target audience
regions or locations express exactly the of the brand, the lack of empathy or
opposite of the above explanation, and it sympathy for the brand, not allowing any
is one of the main reasons why the dialogue. Another error regarding place
practice of commercial branding does not branding strategy is incapacity to offer any
apply directly to their management or reward to target publics in opposition to
promotion: common sense suggests and their attention attached to the brand; again,
research tends to confirm that the richness this is a marketing mistake by assuming
and complexity are valuable attributes for that the audience is as much interested in
the image of a location (be it country, the brand as those who manage it.
city, state, region, etc.). From the place marketing's perspective,
Even from the destination branding the location must find a balance between
perspective, we can distinguish a similar identity, image and reputation desired, the
view: Destinations therefore need to brand. If these items are found, the brand
identify their most potent appeals, seek the of a specific region may be the common
essence that makes them different and denominator between the various elements
attractive to visitors, and consistently (economy, infrastructure, education and
promote this essence through all marketing culture) and participants (residents,
communications and behaviour. Over time entrepreneurs, governments) that sum up
this will help the destination gain a the region.
consistent reputation, based on these brand In fact, the promotion of the elements
values." [1, p.10]. that a region has to offer is not only the
14 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braov Series VII Vol. 6 (55) No. 1 - 2013
problem of the authorities. The effort for a 2. Anholt, S.: Editorial: Should place
positive reputation requires the brands be simple? In: Place Branding
development of an "organizational and Public Diplomacy, vol. 5, no. 2
capacity" in the region. Forming strategic (2009), p. 91-96.
networks between public and private 3. Anholt, S.: Editorial: Definitions of
sectors, consulting residents and local place branding - Working towords a
groups and a unitary development vision resolution. In: Place Branding and
can be beneficial to capture the interest of Public Diplomacy, vol. 6, no. 1 (2010),
the region; in particular local businessmen, p. 1-10.
who have extensive experience in 4. Govers, R., Go, F.: Place Branding.
marketing, are valuable partners for Glocal, Virtual and Physical Identities,
authorities who want to create a successful Constructed, Imagined and Experienced.
brand. A final observation that represents a Palgrave Macmillan, 2009.
disadvantage of place marketing is that the 5. Hospers, G.-J.: Place Marketing in
process remains intangible. Because of this Europe. The Branding of the Oresund
and the inherent blur it is useful to connect Region. Paper presented at
the marketing to the start of a concrete Intereconomics, sept. - oct. 2004.
project in the public domain. Figurehead 6. Kavaratzis, M.: From city marketing to
projects, such as the building of a city branding: Towards a theoretical
prestigious monument or a public framework for developing city brands.
attraction, can make the abstractness of an In: Place Branding, vol. 1, nr. 1(2004),
"imagined area" more visible and support p. 58-73.
it. [5, p.274-5]. 7. Kavaratzis, M.: Branding the City
through Culture and Entertainment.
References Paper presented at Aesop 05, Viena,
2005.
1. *** Handbook on Tourism Destinations 8. Pike, S.: Destination Marketing: An
Branding, World Tourism Organization Integrated Marketing Communication
and European Travel Commision, Approach. Oxford. Butterworth-
Madrid, 2009. Heinemann, Elsevier, 2008.