The place brand co-creation spectrum: dimensions, practices and resident roles

Purpose – This study aims to expand the boundaries of place brand co-creation going beyond the intentional and planned participation in structured co-creation activities. It responds to a need to clarify place brand co-creation and to a lack of theoretical clarity in how different forms of resident involvement and engagement with the brand shape brand meaning. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on two qualitative studies across five European cities, the research adopts a practice theory lens to examine both deliberate and unintentional forms of co-creation. Study 1 draws on interviews (n = 28), netnography and participant observation in Luton; Study 2 uses auto-driven photo-elicited interviews (n = 20) across London, Leicester, Oxford and Budapest. Findings – Place brand co-creation occurs along three dimensions (structure, intentionality and temporality) that form the place brand co-creation spectrum. Four archetypes of place brand co-creation are identified along those dimensions based on the planned/unplanned and active/passive nature of resident involvement and in combination to seven identified resident roles. Research limitations/implications – The place brand co-creation spectrum offers scholars and place managers a tool to understand and facilitate resident engagement, highlighting how even unintentional actions contribute to brand meaning. The findings are based on resident–municipality dynamics and do not explore other stakeholder perspectives (e.g. visitors, businesses) in broader stakeholder ecosystems. Originality/value – The place brand co-creation spectrum offers a nuanced and dynamic conceptual model of place brand co-creation, extending existing theory by integrating unintentional and passive forms of co-creation and by applying practice theory to brand meaning formation.