Branding processes in rural areas depend on six factors
Like big cities, rural areas are increasingly using place branding to improve their reputation and attract citizens, tourists and consumers. Six factors determine which branding process rural areas use, according to a new study.
As in other countries, rural areas in Denmark face a number of challenges, including urbanization, which has led to depopulation and economic decline. This development challenges the sustainability of rural areas, which is further threatened by global competition. Therefore, rural areas increasingly need to market themselves and improve their reputation to attract new citizens and prevent young people from moving away. This is often done through placebranding.
External factors determine the branding process
In a new article recently published in the journal Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, PhD student Barbora Gulisova describes five types of rural branding processes that she identified by reviewing published case studies. Which of the five branding processes each rural area uses depends largely on the presence of six external factors:
"In my study, I have identified six factors that influence the branding process used by the individual rural district. The factors are, for example, which target group the branding is aimed at and whether it is the place as a whole that is being branded," explains Barbora Gulisova.
The six factors that determine the type of branding process are: Brand purpose, target groups, type of place brand, type of place, initiative and support base. It is the combination of these six factors that determines which branding process a rural district uses, and although the study does not aim to advise on the different processes, it can still be a guideline for the individual facilitator:
"If you work with branding in a rural area, you can see from the article which branding process is most typical for the situation you are in. For example, if your target audience is tourists and you have a strong local community behind you, then there are some external factors that point towards a certain branding process," concludes Barbora Gulisova.
You can read the article via this link