Place branding and place marketing

Abstract

This chapter emphasises the emergence of academic interest in place branding and marketing issues, taking stock of the field and the various perspectives adopted by authors from academia and practice. It shows that this field is still largely fragmented, lacks empirical data, and requires more academic rigour. It also discusses aspects related to the definition of place branding and marketing and acknowledges that much confusion remains around the usage of these concepts. In addition, it presents the differences and commonalities between the two notions, suggests a way to accept the inherent confusion between them, and describes their limitations and the potential for future research in the field. Finally, it explains that some places have adopted a holistic approach through projects composed of various branding and marketing dimensions.