A Study On Famous-brand Communitty Effect And Its Mechanism During The Process Of Place Branding Formation

Since 1980's, a large number of industrial clusters have come forth in the developed littoral areas in southeast of China, which are large in productive capacity, sufficient in product chains, outstanding in resource advantages, and with plenty of well-known enterprises. As seen from the forming and developing process, these dominant industrial clusters all related to some well-known place branding, and relatively numerous famous products and famous enterprises came forth, which formed famous brand community. This economic phenomenon is much more similar to the evolution process of mores and ecological community.By systemically going over the odd pieces of research findings in various fields, the author synthesizes the theory of single famous brand effect and the theory of brand ecology, and applies them on the study of famous brand community, which shows that famous brand community not only has an effect of single brand, but also has an essential relationship inside the community as an ecological community alike. Accordingly, the effect of famous brand community can be summarized as four aspects, i.e. the effects of attraction, diffuseness, collaboration and competition.In accordance with the related records of the evolution and development of our typical industrial cluster, the author defines the attractive effect as a way that famous brand community attracts the relative service providers, the spin-offs enterprises, and the resources inside and outside of the areas; defines the diffusing effect as a way that large gathering famous brand enterprises influence the place image, industrial image, the development of other enterprises and the consumer's cognition on the products; defines the collaborative effect as a way that the enterprises in the community collaborate with each other to reduce costs, share resources and increase revenue; defines the competitive effect as a situation that the famous enterprises compete with each other in the aspects of market, technology and resources, so as to get a profitable ecological position.On the basis of the above, this research is dedicate to exploring whether there are some relationship between famous brand community effect and place branding, whether famous brand community effect will influence the formation and foundation of place branding, and to ascertaining the famous brand community effect impact and functional mechanism during regional brands formation.In addition, by the research of literature and our typical industrial cluster development experience, it is found that the government must be involved in place branding establishment and play a dominant role, which is demanded by the nature of place branding and the need for public policies. On the other side, industry associations have a positive role in the development of famous brand community, and help many famous brand enterprises to change from striving for their own development to developing as one community. As a result, in the fierce market competition these enterprises collaborate with each other to develop new markets, promote place economic development, and enhance the overall image of the place, which has a good effect on the cultivation and establishment of place branding.Thus, in order to promote the place economic development and upgrade industrial clusters sustainably, it has a great significance to explore how these governments, industry associations and clustered enterprises (esp. the famous and leading enterprises) cultivate place brand as a joint forceThe author forms an analytical framework (involves famous brand community effect, the role of government and industry associations, and place branding), discusses the their interrelationship, and puts forward a"famous brand community effect——place branding"mechanism model. The model has four aspects among which causalities mingle with regulation relations, and it draws the outline of the complex process and the evolution path of community effect that exert on the place branding cultivation and establishment.According to the survey data of 305 enterprises in Wenzhou and 200 enterprises in Quanzhou, Fujian, the author gets the following finds; 1) the effects of attraction, diffuseness and collaboration have a positive influence on the establishment of place branding; the competition effect, though statistically significant, has a reverse direction; 2)In the process of place branding cultivation and establishment, the government as a local public service organization plays a very important role that can not be ignored. Compared with the government that has a low effect, the highly effective government can enhance the positive influence that the famous brand community effects exert on place branding. Whether the government could give a full play of its administration function, and whether it could provide policy-support and oriented service timely and effectively, these will have a great impact on the development of famous brand enterprises in the industrial cluster, the promotion of regional economic strength and competitiveness, and the establishment of place branding; 3) In the process of the place branding cultivation by industrial clusters, the industry associations as a non-governmental intermediary organization play a very important and irreplaceable role. Compared with the industry association that has a low effect, the highly effective industry association can enhance the positive influence that the famous brand community effects exert on place branding.The author offers the following suggestions in accordance with the findings:1) In the process of cultivating and establishing place branding, it is supposed to found a place brand building mechanism which involves the enterprises as the leader, the government as the promoter and the industry associations as the participator. The famous brand strategy should also be implemented in which technology is the precursor, quality is the fundamental, enterprises play the leading role, and market is the orientation. Thus we can improve macroeconomic level and market competitiveness of industrial clusters in all respects, cultivate the brand well-known at home and abroad, and establish strong brands in accordance with the regional economic features;2) Those well-known enterprises or non-well-known enterprises, with the aid of famous brand effects and the influence and good image of well-known enterprises in the community, should learn how to build its own specialty industries and brands, explore the different enterprise development routes. In the process of brand strategy planning and implementation, it is supposed to pay attention to the use of each other's special advantages, and focus on the establishment of its own famous brand and famous company. 3) In the process of place brand cultivation, establishment and maintenance, the government should give a full play of its pilot role, and the industry associations as the prolocutor of enterprises in the industry region should be a good escort.