A STUDY OF PLACE AND IDENTITY : THE MAIN FEATURES OF DISTINCTIVE PLACE BRAND IDENTITY

Abstract

Place branding as an integral part of competitive place development strategy became a relevant topic for urban and rural municipalities in Latvia relatively recently, at the beginning of 2000. In particular, the issue of narrative exploration of place identities in Latvia has become a key subject, linked to sustainable demonstrations of the attractiveness of places, and the listing of their unique benefits in order to increase economic value and improve social welfare for place residents and other stakeholders. The article seeks answers to a range of interdisciplinary research questions related to the topic of place branding: how can a place brand identity be created that is relevant to place residents and expresses the distinctiveness of the place; what are the main features of belonging to place; and what intangible and/or tangible attributes of the place can provide an authentic and convincing identity narratives for place brands? The empirical part of the article is based on a qualitative research methodology, in- depth semi-structured interviews with place branding experts, and analysis of the content of brand identities of Latvian cities and regions. The article reveals how place branding as a strategic marketing process is managed by local municipalities and involved stakeholders, provides a critical view of local practices and strengthens appreciation of one of the most important reference stages of the place-branding development process: cooperation in finding the key narratives for place identities.