The 5 Principles of Successful Place Branding

Place branding is more than just a marketing tool—it bridges the gap between the identity of a place; its offerings; the experience that visitors (tourists, potential investors, and prospective residents) get when they visit; and the perception that others have of a place.

Strategically applied, place branding can stamp your region on the world map, accentuating its strengths and setting it apart from competitors. By showcasing potential to stakeholders, it can significantly enhance a region’s competitiveness both domestically and internationally.

Robert Govers, the founding president of the international Place Branding Association (IPBA), together with Erik van ‘t Klooster and Gerard Van Keken, developed the following of 5 principles to guide the development of successful place branding:

1. Distinctiveness

Place branding is above all about what makes your region unique. What makes your region stand out against others? What does your region offer that its competitors cannot? Successful place branding campaigns clearly define the unique characteristics of a region and highlight how these distinctions bring value to the target audience.

2. Authenticity

Place branding should truthfully reflect a region’s character, values, and identity. It’s vital to create a connection between existing local perceptions and the image you aim to project. This balance guarantees credibility and fosters trust between your audience and your regional brand image.

3. Memorability

Successful place branding leaves a durable, distinct impression on its target audience. It creates memorable experiences that entice visitors to consider living, returning to, or investing in your region.

4. Co-Creation

Successful place branding campaigns are not top-down affairs; they thrive on the collaboration of all stakeholders involved, ranging from government to companies and civil society.

5. Place Making

Finally, successful place branding is not about a good slogan, logo, and nice promotional campaign. The place branding campaigns that are most successful go beyond just the marketing; they create a cohesive sense of place. This requires collaboration and integration of the place branding into all aspects of a place. Successful campaigns are supported by policies, innovations, events, structures, investments, and symbolic actions.


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