Place brand communities: from terminal to instrumental values
| Pages | 793-806 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-10-2017-1654 |
| Date | 19 November 2018 |
| Published date | 19 November 2018 |
| Author | Emeline Martin,Sonia Capelli |
| Subject Matter | Marketing,Product management,Brand management/equity |
Place brand communities: from terminal to
instrumental values
Emeline Martin
Angers University, GRANEM Research Lab, Angers, France, and
Sonia Capelli
Lyon3 University, Magellan Research Lab, Lyon, France
Abstract
Purpose –This study aims to understand the values around which stakeholders of a place brand within a community can align.
Design/methodology/approach –A content analysis of websites provided a description of region brands. In-depth interview data from
representatives of two communal region brands provide a foundation for investigating the attitudes and behaviors of 20 place brand managers
depending on their value orientation.
Findings –Two categories of communal region brands are found, of which one reflects terminal values whereas the othe r is based on instrumental
values. Instrumental values appear more efficient for promoting the place through stakeholders than terminal values.
Research limitations/implications –This exploratory research highlights some particularities of place brand communities and adds inst rumental
value to the classic terminal value identified within commercial brand communities.
Practical implications –Place brand managers gain insights into the values around which they can align stakeholders of their brand.
Originality/value –Brand community literature focuses mostly on specialty or convenience product-oriented communities. By investigating a place
as a different type of “product”, this study demonstrates that place brands draw on communal arguments to function like master brands.
Furthermore, terminal values can be replaced by more instrumental values in the context of place branding, because agreement on broad termin al
values by individual members of the community is unlikely to be achieved whereas specific instrumental values can serve their individual interests.
Keywords Place branding, Place image, Place marketing, Integrated marketing communications, Brand community, Community values,
Instrumental values, Terminal values
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Innovation, part of Lyon’sDNAis the slogan used by OnlyLyon,
the place brand developed by the French city of Lyon, to align
its community aroundthree roles:
1 raising awareness about Lyon;
2 attracting people to the city; and
3 helping to recruit new ambassadors.
But, why do citizens voluntarily promote the city? Does
innovation, a mode of conduct that relates to instrumental values,
engage people to join the OnlyLyon community? Or would the
city brand be better off insisting on end-states of existence –aka
terminal values –such as sense of accomplishment? This
alignment between the interests of stakeholders and the brand is
necessary so as to ensure value creation within a brand
community (Per et al.,2015). The present research suggests that
the type of values put forward by the brand manager has an
impact on this alignment.
Brand communities have been identified as very relevant
tools for implementing loyalty (Algesheimer et al., 2005) and
citizenship behaviors (Rosenbaum and Massiah, 2007) in the
field of consumer goods; members sharethe brand’s values and
join their efforts to support the brand that bound them. In the
field of place marketing,the development of place brands, such
as the I Amsterdam city brand in The Netherlands, questions
the parallel between commercial brand communities and place
brand communities (Hankinson, 2004). A place branding
process involves a multitude of diverse stakeholder groups,
whose interests often conflict (Merrilees et al., 2012), leading
place brand managers to seek an integrated marketing
communications (IMC) approach. Whereas a commercial
brand community naturally aligns the brand’s fans around the
values defined by its brand managers, a place brand consistsof
people, and the place brand community has to align these
people around relevant values. This study addressesthe nature
of those values.
Extant brand community literature reveals that community
members’degree of involvement determines their loyalty
toward the brand (Algesheimer et al.,2005) and likelihood of
recommending it (McAlexander et al., 2003).Consumers who
develop an identity linked to a brand are intensely loyal and
work to promote the brand further (Bhattacharya and Sen,
2003). Shared valuesare at the root of this social identification.
Terminal values, defined as social values that represent end-
states of existence, play a core role comparedwith instrumental
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on
Emerald Insight at: www.emeraldinsight.com/1061-0421.htm
Journal of Product & Brand Management
27/7 (2018) 793–806
© Emerald Publishing Limited [ISSN 1061-0421]
[DOI 10.1108/JPBM-10-2017-1654]
The authors thank Jean-Jack Cegarra for having conducted several
interviews. This work was supported by the Auvergne Regional Council.
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