The geographical aspect of place branding: Interactions between place brands in the spatial hierarchy

Despite increasing experience with the practice of place branding, researchers find it challenging to produce a broad, multi-disciplinary framework that encompasses the full complexity of a place brand. This paper applies a geographical approach to brand analysis, acknowledging the multifaceted relationship between place brands and the network of socio-cultural dependence and collaboration. This study examines how interactions between place brands affect small, peripheral place brands by identifying interactions between brands, estimating their importance, and explaining them geographically. The research focuses on the interactions between four city brands in the Negev region in Israel and between them and the Negev regional super-brand to which they belong. The sample includes Beersheba, the central city, and three medium and small towns in the northeastern Negev. Four hundred questionnaires were completed by residents of the Central District, representing the target audience that might visit or move to the Negev. Various brand components were measured, including brand associations, familiarity, recognition, and perceived quality, to determine the value and positioning of the brands in the eyes of the respondents. The analysis reveals the network of associations and images, showing similarities and differences between the place brands, their strengths and weaknesses, and the impact of spatial relations.