Stakeholder value-based place brand building
| Date | 19 November 2018 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-10-2017-1652 |
| Pages | 807-818 |
| Published date | 19 November 2018 |
| Author | Mechthild Donner,Fatiha Fort |
| Subject Matter | Marketing,Product management,Brand management/equity |
Stakeholder value-based place brand building
Mechthild Donner
INRA Centre de Montpellier, Montpellier, France, and
Fatiha Fort
Montpellier SupAgro, Montpellier, France
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this study is to investigate the place brand building process based on multi-stakeholder perceived value. It contributes to
an understanding of how place brands are developed, providing diverse benefits, and proposes a conceptual framework for place brand building and
value measurement scales.
Design/methodology/approach –The study is based on the place brand Sud de France. Qualitative data from stakeholder interviews is used to
investigate the main place brand value dimensions. A survey of consumers from the Languedoc-Roussillon region is conducted to measure consumer
place brand values. Quantitative data is analyzed using structural equation modelling.
Findings –Results indicate that place brand value is a multiple-perspective and multidimensional construct that includes new measurement scales
related to dimensions such as quality of life, a common local identity and local development. Brand identity is not only constr ucted on place identity,
but should also incorporate stakeholder values and provide value to consumers.
Practical implications –For place brand managers, this study provides a methodology that helps identify the main place image and stakeh olders
values to be integrated into place brand identity construction. The place brand value measurement scales can be used to ensure a permanent match
between brand identity and consumption trends.
Originality/value –Literature dealing with place equity has focused mostly on country-of-origin or destination image effects from a non-local
consumer or tourist perspective. The originality of this study lies in analyzing the perceived benefits of a regional brand by its local stakeholders,
leading to a new brand building framework and value measurement scales.
Keywords Brand building, Brand value, Stakeholders, Place brand identity, Place brands
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Many companies seek to associate positive images of a country
or place of origin with their products and brands, as this can
offer an added value, enhance consumer perception of
attributes and quality and transfer the image of and attitude
toward the origin to the promoted branded products
(Papadopoulos, 1993;Verlegh and Steenkamp, 1999;Winit
et al., 2014;Papadopoulos et al., 2012;Kavaratzis and Hatch,
2013). More recently, place marketing and place image
management have emerged as an academic field and a popular
practice (Kavaratzisand Hatch, 2013).
The proliferation of place branding studies and consultancy
activities in this field is because of the decentralization policies
that have transferred more responsibility for economic
development to localand regional governments and to the great
international competition between places to attract investors
and tourists (Anholt, 2002;Dinnie, 2008;Kavaratzis and
Hatch, 2013).
Within the food sector, the development of consumer
expectations for localized products has profoundly affected
production systems and led to the fact that the region of origin is
considered as an attribute for product quality and a way to
promote health and protect the environment. The region of
origin effect of food products on consumer behavior has become
evident in studies by Fotopoulos and Krystallis (2001) and Van
der Lans et al. (2001),amongothers.Consumers’willingness-to-
pay for origin products has been confirmed through numerous
studies concerning different food products and different
countries (Loureiro and McCluskey, 2000;Teuber, 2010).
Local governments have tried to capitalize on this evolution
by promoting local food products via regional or place brands,
often combining food products with tourism or other place-
specific assets. Considerable tax incomes are then spent for
those place-based marketing and branding activities
(Kavaratzis and Hatch, 2013), and place branding in general
suffers from a bad reputation and scepticism (Dinnie, 2008).
Policy-makers need to prove that place brandsconsist not only
of logos and slogans, but may actually constitute a useful
strategic tool for sustainablelocal development and that various
stakeholders can harnessit. Thus, there is a need to know what
those brands can offer, who is benefittingfrom them, how their
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) 807–818
Emerald Publishing Limited [ISSN 1061-0421]
[DOI 10.1108/JPBM-10-2017-1652]
© Mechthild Donner and Fatiha Fort. Published by Emerald Publishing
Limited. This article is published under the Creative Commons
Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute,
translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial
and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original
publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at
http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
This article has received the support of the European Commission as
part of the AGTRAIN doctoral fellowship program (www.agtrain.eu).
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