Understanding Place Branding

Abstract

What is a brand, what is place branding? These questions might seem easy to answer, but they really are not, as there exist many different interpretations of the terms. While there is no “exact” definition (and academics love to come up with new concepts all the time), I know from my conversations with practitioners that they tend to find some more useful than others. In this chapter I offer you a summary of my own understanding of the meaning and purpose of a “brand” and “branding,” in the context of places and locations—based on what I’ve learned through the interviews and the panel sessions which we’ve conducted at TPBO. We’ll also explore how place branding differs from the branding of organizations, products, or services, and how it relates to place marketing.