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Asian city brand meaning: a Hong Kong perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Bill Merrilees

    (Griffith University Gold Coast Campus)

  • Dale Miller

    (Griffith University Gold Coast Campus)

  • Gloria L. Ge

    (Griffith University)

  • Charles Chin Chiu Tam

    (The Chinese University of Hong Kong)

Abstract

The idea of “brands doing good” is potentially intrinsic in all aspects of strategic and ethical branding. This study argues that city branding can be a site for “brands doing good”. City branding is consolidating its position in the branding literature. Two areas remain underdeveloped: the role of culture and a comprehensive answer to the question of what does a place mean to its residents? This quantitative study addresses these two gaps in the literature. Hong Kong is selected as a thought-provoking context to investigate the research issues and enables more attention to Asian city brands. The results indicate that social bonding through friends and relatives is the dominant brand association shaping city brand meaning. Additionally, a three-pronged approach to culture elevates culture to an important role in understanding the residents’ city brand meaning. The three prongs are: (1) inclusion of Confucius values as a brand association; (2) using intangible cultural heritage as a moderator in the model explaining city brand attitudes and (3) interpreting material lifestyle activities like eateries as an integral part of the city culture. The results suggest that the Hong Kong city brand does much good especially through strong social, cultural and community core brand values.

Suggested Citation

  • Bill Merrilees & Dale Miller & Gloria L. Ge & Charles Chin Chiu Tam, 2018. "Asian city brand meaning: a Hong Kong perspective," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 25(1), pages 14-26, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:jobman:v:25:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1057_s41262-017-0073-1
    DOI: 10.1057/s41262-017-0073-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Maria Cristina Paganoni, 2012. "City Branding and Social Inclusion in the Glocal City," Mobilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(1), pages 13-31, February.
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    3. Sicco van Gelder, 2011. "City Brand Partnerships," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Keith Dinnie (ed.), City Branding, chapter 0, pages 36-44, Palgrave Macmillan.
    4. Merrilees, Bill & Miller, Dale & Herington, Carmel, 2009. "Antecedents of residents' city brand attitudes," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 62(3), pages 362-367, March.
    5. Can-Seng Ooi, 2011. "Paradoxes of City Branding and Societal Changes," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Keith Dinnie (ed.), City Branding, chapter 0, pages 54-61, Palgrave Macmillan.
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    7. Shir Shen & S. Choy, 2005. "The Pre- and Post-1997 Well-Being of Hong Kong Residents," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 71(1), pages 231-258, March.
    8. Merrilees, Bill & Miller, Dale & Herington, Carmel, 2013. "City branding: A facilitating framework for stressed satellite cities," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(1), pages 37-44.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Steven Chen & Eric Shih, 2019. "City branding through cinema: the case of postcolonial Hong Kong," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 26(5), pages 505-521, September.
    3. Shanshan Luo & Robert Hamlin, 2022. "A cross cultural comparison of brand love in consumer brand relationships: Is ‘transmissive brand love’ a potential platform for developing brand equity?," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 29(5), pages 484-497, September.
    4. Shaun M. Powell, 2018. "Journal of Brand Management: year end review 2018," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 25(6), pages 494-499, November.

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