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Place marketing approaches are increasingly employed by public authorities competing to attract capital. While a growing number of studies have provided valuable insights, scholars appear to be struggling to advance their theoretical understanding. This is arguably the result of failure to produce evidence‐based research, excessive focus on small‐scale case studies, difficulties bridging disciplinary boundaries, and reluctance to advance generalizations. To overcome these problems, the purpose of this paper is to present a framework that can be used to generate empirically testable hypotheses and thereby provide a structure for research.

A brief literature review first identifies obstacles that prevent place marketing research from making significant progress. Second, to overcome these obstacles, the paper identifies the need to consider spatial competition for capital, which has, remarkably, been overlooked. Third, drawing on these insights, a conceptual framework is presented. Fourth, from this framework, six propositions are deduced that may enable the development of a theory of place marketing.

This work first identifies the need for a more rigorous approach to the scientific study of place marketing. Second, a conceptual framework is suggested, based on spatial competition for capital. Third, the paper demonstrates that testable hypotheses can be deduced from the framework to provide a structure for research. Arguably, empirically testing such hypotheses would significantly advance our understanding of place marketing.

This paper identifies a feasible way to structure future research that should interest place marketing researchers seeking a more rigorous approach to theoretical advancement.

This study aims to outline an axiology of inclusivity, which can facilitate self-reflection on the possible impact of acting and pursuing a more inclusive branding and marketing for places.

By deconstructing the main assumption, which constitutes the new inclusive paradigm in the marketing and branding of places as more participatory, responsible and democratic, this article tackles critical and pragmatist concerns about the political dimension and its implications for branding and marketing theories and practices in the realm of places.

The article argues that, to be understood and enacted as inclusive, branding and marketing should be seen and act as (bio)political arts of government, characterized by the impolitical as an alternative form of political praxis, whose axiological foundation is based on a particular form of civism, which offers a different mode and stance of approaching political effects and impacts for all stakeholders involved.

Little has been written about the political value, substance and appearance that indicate inclusivity as a fundamental notion for participation, engagement and democracy. This article contributes to the existing literature, arguing that inclusivity should be demystified, as it may present a self-fulfilling discourse that might create political problems.

This paper serves two purposes. First, to identify the stages of the historical development of place marketing, because place marketing has developed over time through discrete phases, which differ in their sophistication as well as in their approaches and objectives. Secondly, to identify and articulate significant issues, which will determine the “way forward” for place marketing.

Place marketing has been shaped by developments within marketing science and cognate disciplines but also by the external historical contexts at various spatial scales that determined its assumptions, goals and priorities. A concordance of a number of approaches to the evolution of place marketing is attempted and from this, conclusions are drawn about the current assumptions upon which place marketing is based.

Seven issues are identified that appear to hinder marketing implementation from delivering its full contribution and are suggested here as significant for the future of place marketing. The most important ones refer to the need for a collective understanding and appreciation of place marketing, the achievement of wide cooperation and clear role allocation, the implementation of marketing as a long‐term process and the expansion of marketing understanding to fields other than tourism development.

The originality of this paper lies in the clear articulation of the historical episodes of place marketing development and, at the same time, the identification of the issues mentioned above, which will determine the effectiveness of place marketing practice. Therefore, the paper is of great value to both academic commentators and practitioners of place marketing.

This paper seeks to highlight hip‐hop's contribution to the entrepreneurship and place marketing literature. Hip‐hop is taken from the lens of an individual artist, Akon, whose music and lyrics – a “hybrid of silky, West African‐styled vocals mixed with North America's East Coast and Southern beats” – provides fresh insights for place marketers.

A “discourse analysis” of the lyrics from two non‐chart songs Senegal and Mama Africa provided the conceptual base for a better understanding of the fusion of music and entrepreneurship with place marketing.

Through music, Akon has bridged socio‐cultural (ethnic cuisine, immigration and social exclusion, faith or spirituality) and economic attributes (notably remittances) – with implications for entrepreneurship and place marketing.

The paper demonstrates that music and entrepreneurship can be extended to place marketing using discourse analysis. Future research may need to consider how to leverage the potential of celebrity endorsement or partnerships in place marketing strategies. It was by no accident that Akon was recruited by PepsiCo for the recently concluded 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa through a charity single – Oh Africa!

The paper is an attempt to fuse three distinct streams of literature (music, entrepreneurship and place marketing). The value lies in extrapolating a well‐known, but little discussed, subject in academia, i.e. the role of hip‐hop music in the place marketing discourse.

This paper explains how the location of motorsports events is an integral part of the marketing of the sport of motor racing and of all its attendant commercial interests. Case studies of the major motorsports events staged in public street circuits in Australia are used to illustrate how the locations have particular symbolic significance that adds legitimacy to the sport of motor racing, and the messages and impacts associated with these events. The paper examines the wider significance of allowing special public spaces in cities to be used for motorsports events, and contends that the marketing of sporting events should not be considered independently of the major challenges facing the world.

This paper aims to consider the role of demarketing in the specific context of the marketing of places, and to introduce a typology of place demarketing and related place marketing activity.

Following a review of the extant literature on place marketing and branding, place image and demarketing, the paper outlines a number of different types of place demarketing and more unusual place marketing strategies, with examples of each.

The marketing of places has grown in scale and importance, both as a practice and as an area of academic research, as places have had to become more entrepreneurial in an ever‐increasing competitive environment. Places are increasingly conceptualised as brands to be marketed, and a key emphasis of such activity is the creation of an attractive place image and/or the dilution of negative place images. This is reinforced in the academic literature. Counter to this “conventional wisdom”, this article conceptualises various types of place demarketing activity and related place marketing activities; namely “passive place demarketing”, “informational place demarketing”, “crisis place demarketing”, and also “perverse place marketing” and “dark place marketing”.

This paper provides a unique counter to the “conventional wisdom” of place marketing by introducing the concept of place demarketing and perverse and dark place marketing which more explicitly accentuate the negative, rather than accentuating the positive which is the norm in this marketing context. A typology of such activities is introduced and the implications for place brands are considered.

The purpose of this paper is to explore how community involvement can support the authors who are guided by the following research questions: how do community residents contribute to heritage marketing strategies that represent their local area? How does community involvement in heritage marketing encourage place identification? How can organisations facilitate community participation in heritage marketing?

The authors draw on an ethnographic study of the adopted railway stations in Scotland. They use in-depth interviews and participant observation alongside visual and archival data.

The authors present and discuss three themes: community involvement in heritage activities, community heritage marketing and place identification, facilitating community participation through Adopt a Station.

Initiatives that empower residents should be prioritised to capitalise on their latent knowledge, skills and expertise. The authors suggest that bringing heritage outside the museum space into key places used by local residents will support the increased accessibility of heritage.

While there are often strong arguments in favour of local community involvement in place marketing, it is much less common to find successful reports of this working in practice. Research either questions the capabilities of local residents to make meaningful contributions or hints at a tokenistic form of involvement. The authors contribute by offering insights into successful heritage-based community activity. Unlike previous research which focuses on the economic impact of place marketing, this paper focuses on place identification for local residents. The authors also observe how offering a sense of ownership and freedom allows community management of the heritage message to flourish.

To achieve a full understanding of the role of marketing from plan to profit requires a knowledge of the basic building blocks. This textbook introduces the key concepts in the art or science of marketing to practising managers. Understanding your customers and consumers, the 4 Ps (Product, Place, Price and Promotion) provides the basic tools for effective marketing. Deploying your resources and informing your managerial decision making is dealt with in Unit VII introducing marketing intelligence, competition, budgeting and organisational issues. The logical conclusion of this effort is achieving sales and the particular techniques involved are explored in the final section.

Aim of the present monograph is the economic analysis of the role of MNEs regarding globalisation and digital economy and in parallel there is a reference and examination of some legal aspects concerning MNEs, cyberspace and e‐commerce as the means of expression of the digital economy. The whole effort of the author is focused on the examination of various aspects of MNEs and their impact upon globalisation and vice versa and how and if we are moving towards a global digital economy.

This paper aims to investigate place marketing and branding at the micro-place scale through the case study of St Christopher’s Place in London (UK). This study illustrates the distinctive differences of micro-place marketing, in comparison to city and country levels.

An exploratory case study was conducted through a sequential mixed methods approach involving direct observation, semi-structured interviews, questionnaires and social media analysis. Analysis of data was performed by using thematic analysis and triangulation of quantitative measures collected through the questionnaire and social media analysis.

Analysis of data illustrated noticeable differences of place management at the micro-place level compared to city or country scale of place marketing and branding. The function of emotional marketing leading to value co-creation is more effective at this level, establishing close and personal ties between occupiers and customers. Yet, measurement of micro-place marketing and branding value creation is difficult to achieve.

This study draws attention to the unique value and benefits of place branding at smaller spatial scales. Findings contribute to the place micro-brand concept by adding knowledge of micro-places through place management activities comparing them with city and country scales, and emotional marketing value co-creation practices, including challenges relating to measurement.