Place branding: bringing innovation to your region
Unleash the potential of place branding in the midst of ever-changing and challenging environments
by Dr. Renaud Vuignier, Senior Analyst
See our free place branding toolkit
What is place branding?
The reputation of a city, a region and a country is tremendously important for its economic development in the context of global coopetition. To help navigate these challenges and support the development of a region, place branding has become a necessary professional expertise.
Place branding refers to the coordinated use of marketing tools with the aim of developing, communicating, and promoting a variety of services and products to its inhabitants and interested stakeholders. Its goal is simple: making a place attractive and striving to maintain it in the long run. Place branding is not about selling a place, but about compelling people to discover, live and innovate within the space.
“Place branding is not about selling a place, but about compelling people to discover, live and innovate within the space.”
Place branding and COVID-19
The current pandemic represents a major challenge for place attractiveness. It forces us to rethink mobility, as health measures are limiting global travels. Some of these measures are most likely here to stay. Therefore, a place branding strategy should address these new challenges. Defining a more sustainable way to brand a region in the midst of a global crisis has become essential.
Various initiatives are already emerging to boost attractiveness, such as economic support for SMEs. A place branding approach can increase consistency and help with the continual development of different regions, especially in ever-changing and challenging environments.
Co-creating processes
A place branding approach enables the development of an ecosystem in which all stakeholders - institutional, economic, and cultural - can contribute to its development. It has the potential to enhance the value of the place as a whole, to strengthen synergies, and to harmonize marketing and communication.
The involvement of stakeholders, guided by a common vision for a region and its future development, are crucial priorities that will determine the success of the approach.
Discover how to design your place branding strategy
Designing your place branding strategy
In order to bring innovation to your region, our team can accompany you from strategic reflections to implementation. Reach out to us at hello@conexkt.world if you would like to discuss ways to bring innovation to your region. Discover how to reinforce synergies in your region, enhance its identity as a whole and harmonize marketing and communication efforts.
About Renaud Vuignier, Ph.D
Renaud Vuignier is a Senior Analyst at Conexkt. Renaud specializes in policy analysis and strategic thinking. He holds a Ph.D. in Public Administration from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
Expertise: Strategic Thinking, Policy Analysis, Public Management, Public Marketing, Place Branding, Economic Development, Innovation Policy, Trade