Place marketing and place branding : a systematic (and tentatively exhaustive) literature review

Renaud Vuignier
Place marketing and place branding:
A systematic (and tentatively exhaustive)
literature review
Working paper de l’IDHEAP 5/2016
Unité Management public et marketing
Renaud Vuignier
Place marketing and place branding:
A systematic (and tentatively exhaustive)
literature review
Working paper de l’IDHEAP 5/2016
Unité Management public et marketing

Place marketing and place branding:
A systematic (and tentatively exhaustive) literature review
Renaud Vuignier
May 2016
Working Paper de l’IDHEAP 5/2016
Public Management and Marketing Unit
Swiss Graduate School of Public Administration (IDHEAP)
University of Lausanne, Switzerland
To contact the author: Renaud.Vuignier at unil.ch or via ch.linkedin.com/in/renaudvuignier
To cite this article: Vuignier, Renaud (2016). Place marketing and place branding: A systematic
(and tentatively exhaustive) literature review. Working Paper de l’IDHEAP, 5/2016.
Le texte intégral est disponible en ligne sur le dépôt institutionnel de l’UNIL : https://serval.unil.ch/

Place marketing and place branding: A systematic (and tentatively exhaustive) literature review, Renaud Vuignier, May 2016
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Place marketing and place branding:
A systematic (and tentatively exhaustive) literature review
Renaud Vuignier
Abstract
This paper presents a systematic and complete overview of the scientific literature in the field of
place marketing and place branding research. A total of 1172 articles published between 1976 and
2016 in 98 different journals were analyzed and meticulously classified into categories and
subcategories according to disciplinary approach, method used and perspective adopted. This
literature review thus provides a detailed overview of the state of the art and reveals various
trends and developments in this emerging field of study. Among other things, it demonstrates
that the field suffers from a lack of conceptual clarity, diverging definitions and a weak theoretical
foundation, which means it addresses a very broad range of research topics. In addition, the field
lacks empirical evidence and explanatory articles, meaning that the numerous hypotheses
concerning the effects of place marketing activities on attractiveness remain unsubstantiated. The
review also underscores the literature’s lack of interest in the political and institutional contexts of
places, although this information is crucial in terms of public management. Moreover, this work
notes that the rhetoric of consultants is given pride of place, with the publication of numerous
prescriptive articles focused on sharing best practices. Finally, this study notes the existence of a
significant number of critical articles.
Keywords: place, marketing, branding, literature review, state of the art, public management