Gastronomy as a Vector of Online Regional Branding: The Digital Communication of Gastronomic Experiences Within the “Gastro Local” Network, Brașov County, Romania

This paper investigates how the “Gastro Local” network in Brașov County, Romania, contributes to regional brand development by digitally communicating local gastronomic and cultural values. One hundred eighty social media posts created by Local Gastronomic Points (LGPs) were analyzed using a directed content analysis grounded in the Memorable Gastronomic Experience (MGE) and Online Destination Brand Experience (ODBE) frameworks. Results suggest that LGPs construct dense multimodal narratives combining gastronomic, environmental, emotional, and temporal cues, indicating that rural digital storytelling relies on layered experiential configurations. Hedonism, Local Culture, and Relaxation dominate experiential communication, while sensory and spatio-temporal cues structure online brand expression. Co-occurrence patterns and correspondence analysis indicate two potential branding logics: a sensory–hedonic strategy centred on visual pleasure, and an affective–symbolic contextual strategy anchored in heritage and rural temporality. The study contributes an integrated MGE × ODBE analytical model and suggests how small-scale food providers act as decentralized branding agents, supporting aspects of sustainable and authenticity-driven regional identity-building within this specific context.