The role of local perceptions in the marketing of rural areas

Abstract

a b s t r a c tThis paper explores the ways that two rural counties are marketed, both as locations for enterprise and for tourist appeal. Secondary data sources and expert interviews provide the basis for a comparison of approaches in each case. To analyse marketing communication from the Cornish and Northumbrian tourism and regional development agencies, the Interaction Model of Communication and principles underpinning integrated marketing communications (IMC) are used.The research evaluates the fit of the marketing rhetoric against the perceptions and lived experiences of samples of business owners drawn from each county. A particular focus is apportioned to in-migrant business owners as they have had perceptions of their destination both before and after moving. It is discovered that social factors are highly significant, meaning that place marketers must engage with local communities as well as their external target audiences.This deeper understanding of the ways in which perceptions of place identity and reputation influence decision-making and communication offerings by local marketers, is a valuable insight for the way marketing is undertaken in, and of, rural areas. Beyond marketing, the findings demonstrate the significance of inter-relationships between social and economic influences in the rural economy.

Entrepreneurship, tourism and regional development: a tale of two villages

“…Defined as 'areas of meaningful social life where people live and learn, they are locations of socialization and cultural acquisition' (Johnstone and Lionais 2004, 219). The repeated sociocultural interactions within a place create specific cultural meaning and local identity, which act as centripetal forces creating attachment to a community (Giles, Bosworth, and Willett 2013). In addition, the sociocultural identity of a place is rooted in, and shaped by, the geographical space and the surrounding natural environment (Pike et al 2007).…”

“…The pressure exercised by economic activities that do not respect the scale and rhythm of the place can alienate community members and threaten the very existence of its sociocultural identity (Höckert 2009). In extreme situations, the economic forces may destroy the sociocultural cohesion, replacing local identity with market brands that Entrepreneurship & Regional Development 359 represent idyllic and artificial simulacra of traditions (Anderson and McAuley 1999;Giles, Bosworth, and Willett 2013), not as they really are, but rather how they are imagined by destination consumers. The entrepreneurial exploitation of existing opportunities depends not only on the functional profile of the territory, but also on the managerial decisions taken and implemented for territorial development, which should mitigate between economic benefits and the preservation of the local identity (Murzyn-Kupisz 2012).…”

Nové trendy online marketingové komunikace jako prostředek pro zvyšování atraktivity měst a obcí v Moravskoslezském kraji

“…Ovlivňují jej totiž v každé zemi jiné národní a regionální politické systémy (Petrea et al, 2010). Celkově pak atraktivita místa působí na investory, návštěvníky, podnikatele a obyvatele (Giles, Bosworth, Willet, 2013;Mazureková 2013). Tento příspěvek se zaměřil na marketingovou komunikaci obce prostřednictvím Facebooku.…”

Beekeepers

“…According to the literature, "a sense of place" is intrinsic to rural communities and represents a combination of factors, such that communities feel a sense of ownership (Giles et al, 2013), and according to Aitken and Campelo (2011), 'a sense of place' is created by the interactions of rights, roles, relationships, and responsibilities. Due to this, there is a need for different marketing strategies in the branding of products owned by a company that employs marketers to raise its profile product, or in branding rural areas that are defined by the people living there (Giles et al, 2013).…”

“…Due to this, there is a need for different marketing strategies in the branding of products owned by a company that employs marketers to raise its profile product, or in branding rural areas that are defined by the people living there (Giles et al, 2013).…”