The Process of Implementing a Place Brand Based on a Multilevel Approach: The Case of the Municipality of Masquefa

• Published in: Sustainability 2023-11, Vol.15 (22), p.15788
• Main Authors: de San Eugenio-Vela, Jordi, Ginesta, Xavier, Compte-Pujol, Marc, Frigola-Reig, Joan, Fernández-Rovira, Cristina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Brand equity; Housing developments; Information management; Marketing; Methods; Society; Sparkling wine; Tourism
• ISSN: 2071-1050; 2071-1050
• DOI: 10.3390/su152215788

Place branding is a discipline at the intersection of geography and communications, devoted to the process by which places become brands, understood as devices for managing a desired identity presented to the outside world, and also for internal consumption by the residents of the place. This paper intends to explain the conceptualization process of a place brand, and to present the methodological framework for building a brand that takes into account all audiences and stakeholders, thus strengthening the identity of the place. The case presented here is Masquefa, a municipality in the Barcelona province. The methodology has been structured in three phases: first, an initial diagnosis and data gathering; next, fieldwork and public participation (interviews, surveys, and discussion in focus groups); and third, construction of the story. The conclusions of this article show how a municipality without any significant tangible and intangible assets to truly identify it can build a brand story accepted by all agents, both public and private, which will help it grow sustainably in the future.