Urban Marketing Research

From the interdisciplinary perspective, the paper used the methodology which combines the theoretical study and empirical study (case-study), explored the issue of city brand equity deeply and broadly, which is the cutting-edge in marketing theory. Currently, some books and papers concerned with practice of city branding have been published, however, few papers have elaborated the issue theoretically, this paper tries to explore it theoretically. Based on academic achievement in marketing, brand marketing, relation marketing, strategy, government economics, urban economics, the paper tries to establish the system and framework of city brand, so as to promote the development of theory and practice in city brand domain, to increase the contents of city marketing.The paper firstly proposes the concept of city brand equity, promotes it to the status that can reinforce the city's competence and competitive advantage, analyzes the city brand positioning deeply, which is the essential concerns in city branding, then formulates its framework according to the process of development, communication and maintenance of city brand.This paper can be divided into four parts:The first part is the introduction, is composed of the first chapter. This part discussed the background and significance of research in theory as well as practice, on reviewing the theory concerned with city marketing and city branding, the paper then establishes the theoretical framework, identifies the research purpose and method, as well as research thought, technological route, innovation.The second part is concerned with theoretical foundation of city brand equity, is composed of chapter two and chapter three. Chapter two explores the relationship between city brand equity and city competitive advantage. At present, there still exists some controversies on the related concept of city brand, compared with product brand, the chapter constructs the system of whole city product, classifies the concept of city brand, and probes into the source of city brand. Based on classification of city brand, it proposes the concept of city brand equity, pointes out its subject and object, explores the generative mechanism of city brand equity. Finally, by referring Porter's "five force competitive model", this chapter explores the source and generative mechanism of city sustained competitive advantage. Chapter three is about city band positioning. First of all, this chapter defines the connotation of positioning from the angle of customer, generalizes the factor needed to be considered, and discusses the psychological foundation in city brand positioning. Secondly, this part rectifies some illusions in the process of city brand positioning, generalizes the principles that need to obey, and explores the analysis structure in positioning. Eventually this chapter puts forward the positioning system and tools of city brand on reference of method in enterprise marketing from the system perspective.The third part the third is the core segment of the whole article, which analyzes the question on developing, communicating and maintaining the city brand equity, is composed of chapter four, chapter five and chapter six. Chapter four elaborates the issue on development of city brand equity centered on customer, this chapter probes the quality of city customer equity, classifies the category of urban customer, indicates that cities should acquire high-quality customer equity and set up customer equity orientation in developing city brand core value and brand image. Development matrix of city customer equity and five development models of city brand equity have been proposed. As one approach to tap brand equity, characteristics, reasons and effects of city brand alliance have been analyzed theoretically, combined with case study on jointly developing regional tourism brand in Yangtse River Delta. Chapter five discusses the issue on the integration, marketing and communication of city brand. This chapter pointes out the necessity, channel, object of integrated marketing communication of city brand, analyzes the process of information communication from the perspective of information theory and communication theory. Because government plays an important role in city communication, the role that government should play has been analyzed. Relationship model of city brand communication has been proposed from the perspective of relationship marketing. Chapter six elaborates the issue on city brand relationship capital and maintenance. This chapter puts forward the concept of city relationship capital, explores the connotation and concept of city brand relationship. Because of decaying mechanism of city brand internally and externally, cities should take measures to maintain the city brand equity.The fourth part and the fourth is the conclusion, is composed of chapter seven and chapter eight. Chapter seven is the case analysis on city brand equity in Dalian, analyzes process of city brand positioning, development, communication and maintenance, pointes out the shortcoming in maintaining the band equity. Chapter eight is the conclusion and suggestion of the paper. The paper draws conclusion that city brand can improve the competitive advantage of city, which represent a special brand relation essentially. City brand should be developed oriented on customer deeply as well as careful maintenance, integrated marketing communication can maximize the effect of city brand communication. Research on city marketing is still at primary stage, related theories and papers are relatively rare, so there must be some problems when incorporating knowledge from marketing, emphasis should be put on measurement and empirical study of city brand equity in the future.