The Authenticity Of Place Brand And Its Effect On Brand Preference

The globalization of economy and the integration of regional economy have made more and more companies,cities,regions and even countries pay more attention to consumers' authenticity perception of brands,and it is regard as sources of competitive advantage.Consumers increasingly need authentic brand experiences.However,in the post-modern market where the degree of commercialization continues to deepen,the increasing of over-commercial and spurious commercial activities have also led to a gradual decline in consumers' perceptions of trust and authenticity of companies,brands and even place they are in.Brand extension actions;such as mergers and acquisitions and etc.have adopted by companies for scale expansion also make consumers suspect their authenticity.The authenticity of place brands has gradually become an important part of modern marketing.The existing research only discusses the connotation and structural dimension of authenticity and brand authenticity.There is no research to discuss the connotation and structural dimension of the authenticity of place brand.In view of this,this study based on the existing theoretical basis,has conducted an in-depth exploration of the influence of the place brand's authentic connotation and structural dimensions and its influence on place brand trust and brand preference through the combination research methods of qualitatively rooting research and quantitatively empirical testing.Research results show that,the authenticity of regional brands consists of four dimensions: brand uniqueness,brand consistency,brand sustainability,and brand symbolism.Among them,brand uniqueness is generated by geographical features,cultural symbols and craft design;brand consistency is produced by quality commitment,aesthetic sense;brand continuity is generated by historical inheritance,style continuity and sustainable development;brand symbolic is produced by value proposition,identity construction and self-expression.The research results shows that,each dimension;that is brand uniqueness,brand consistency,brand sustainability,and brand symbolism of place brand's authenticity have a positive impact on enhancing consumers' authentic perception of place brands.According to the influence of each dimension of the place brand's authenticity on place brand trust from large to small,the order is brand uniqueness,brand sustainability,brand symbolism and brand consistency.Consumers' authentic perception of place brands will positively affect their trust in place brands,and thus have a significant positive impact on brand preferences.This study scientifically reveals that,the place brand's authenticity model is composed of 4 dimensions and 12 factors,it is a multidimensional structure.This conclusion lays a theoretical foundation for subsequent research on the place brands' authenticity.The place brand's authenticity and its impact on the place brand trust and brand preference mechanism model developed is empirically proved by this research.And also the conclusion of this research provides theoretical guidance for structuring place brand's authenticity..