ABSTRACT
Authors : Amelia GREEN, Debra GRACE and Helen PERK, Journal of Brand Management, May 2016, Volume 23, Issue 3, pp 252-272
Bridging the gap between theory and practice represents a major challenge for city brand management. This article argues that the divergent evolutionary paths of city branding research and practice contribute to this gap. Specifically, we examine the evolution of branding research and practice on a macroscopic scale to identify key shifts in the philosophies and assumptions driving each trajectory. In terms of practice, we trace the development of city branding in five waves, covering primitive attempts to adjust what cities mean to people, stimulate city promotion, entrepreneurial urban governance, formalized urban marketing and, finally, a focus on city rhetoric. We then identify four broad waves of city branding research: (1) initial possibilities, (2) application and adaptation of existing branding theory , (3) development of a critical approach and (4) progressive approaches that intersect with the brand co-creation paradigm. In addition to providing a basis for mutual understanding and collaboration between researchers and practitioners, consideration of the two evolutionary paths indicates major gaps in the literature concerning city branding that seem particularly relevant to bridging the gap between theory and practice.
Keywords: attractiveness, branding, brand Management, city branding, co-creation, city
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