The project consisted in four regional case studies (Muntanya d’Alacant in Spain; Zeeland and Drechsteden regions in the Netherlands and Northern Rivers NSW in Australia).
We engaged in 3 main research stages:
1) Literature review co-creation in place branding processes (article in review)
2) Qualitative interviews to better understand how the brand process unfolded, with a focus on governance and stakeholder engagement (4x reports on the governance of the brand process and 1x scientific article, Ripoll Gonzalez et al. 2024)
3) Quantitative survey to citizens in two of the areas under study (Spain and Northern Rivers) to study determinants of participation (2x factsheet and full reports and 1x scientific article being revised)
4) Quantitative survey to organizations engaged in branding the region (Drechsteden and Zeeland) to better understand the relationship between engagement in the branding process on support for the brand (brand citizenship behaviour) (1x scientific article Ripoll Gonzalez et al. 2023, 2x reports & presentation by Prof. Jasper Eshuis).
5) Action research process looking at a collective development of a place brand for the Muntanya d’Alacant region that resulted in 1 report and presentation of results in various regional forums in the area and 1x scientific paper on the groundbreaking methodology (accepted subject to minor revisions).
Publications to look out for:
Keast, R., Ripoll González, L., Murphy, H & Scott, A (2025, in press). Organizational Resilience: Insights from Neighboring Terms in Laura Frigotto & Romulo Pinheiro (Eds) Organizational Resilience.
Ripoll González, L & J Eshuis (2025, in press) Co-creation. Encyclopedia of Place Branding (eds. Eduardo Oliveira, Emma Björner & Efe Sevin).
Ripoll González, Laura, Jasper Eshuis, and Erik Hans Klijn. (under review). Managing brand co-creation through network governance. Marketing Theory.
Ripoll González, Laura (accepted with minor changes). A dynamic regional branding process as a governance tool for sustainability transitions. Action Research.
REPORTS:
Several BRANDSUS reports 2022-2024 (see www.brandsus.eu):
Governance of brand reports (Zeeland; Northern Rivers; Muntanya d’Alacant).
Survey result factsheets (Northern Rivers Brand; Grup d’Accio Local Muntanya d’Alacant brand; Smart Delta Drechsteden Brand; Zeeland).
SPIN OFF COLLABORATIONS:
Gent Municipality (Belgium) ‘A study on Gent city brand image’ (co-creation and branding), 2024. This project applies the learnings of the project to the development of a survey questionnaire to study determinants of engagement in co-creating place brands. I
Ripoll Gonzalez, L., Klijn, EH & Metselaar, S. (2025). Image of Gent. Study commissioned by the Municipality of Gent (Belgium).
