Defining Place Branding through Local and National Identity and National Stereotypes

Abstract

From a communication perspective, it can be considered that the identity of a brand is defined by the one who transmits the message, while the image of it is the actual image developed in the mind of the receiver. Brand identity is how the brand owner wants it to be perceived, but on the other hand, brand image is how the brand is perceived. The present study highlights some of the structures associated with brands and places, clarifying, from a theoretical point of view, the two important characteristics related to the universe of brands, namely identity, and image. These are analyzed from the perspective of the conditioning of places, through identity (e.g., local, national) and national stereotypes (with various connotations on the image of the respective place).