Towards a Holistic Place Branding Model: A Conceptual Model Proposal

This paper proposes a comprehensive and integrative model which will contribute to a successful place branding. The new model is proposed based on the analysis of 30 previous place branding models and enriched by the literature review. The result of this work is the conceptual model that offers a more global perspective of place branding and consists of the following 11 interrelated elements: place, brand leadership, community stakeholders engagement, brand vision, brand architecture, brand identity, brand communications, brand image, brand experience, brand actions and brand evaluation, which must be incorporated into any place branding model as they prove to be relevant and play a strategic role in the branding process. They are essential for place brand development and management, and represent key success factors of place brands. The research implications are to give researchers a guide for literature development, theory building, and future research. The practical implications are to offer practitioners, professionals, local officials, and even governments a model that explains the place branding process to effectively create and manage a place brand. Unlike previous models which take different perspectives on the branding process, this one is holistic as it encompasses (almost) all of them. The new model highlights also new elements that do not appear in the previous ones.