The Use of Territory of Origin as a Branding Tool

Abstract

Territory of origin can be strategically used as a brand‐building tool in marketing communications programs. By exploiting the unique characteristics of a particular territory, a brand can enhance consumers’ perceptions of product quality and authenticity. The implementation of a territorial strategy offers firms long‐term market opportunities while benefiting stakeholders. For territory of origin branding to be successful, it is necessary to promote products that fit with the territorial image. This requires establishing a track record for the product's ingredients, its manufacturing process, and its brand heritage. A territorial strategy can also play an important part in corporate social responsibility initiatives directed at consumers and the broader local community. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Uses and Functions of the Territorial Brand over Time: Interdisciplinary Cultural-Historical Mapping

“…Zhang and Merunka [11] found that, by exploiting the unique characteristics of a given territory, a brand can improve consumers' perception of product quality and authenticity, for example, in the cases of terroir and geographical indication. In this case, the reference is to territorial marketing strategies focused on economic development [38].…”

“…In this case, the reference is to territorial marketing strategies focused on economic development [38]. The use of the territorial brand has often been associated with terroir, geographical indication, agro-food chains and tourism as a marketing tool [11,[39][40][41] and considered a territorial competitiveness tool [42]. Some of the functions of the territorial brand found in the literature were to generate local engagement, attract tourists and generate competition [38,39].…”

“…For this reason, this study focuses on the concept of the territorial brand to demystify misunderstandings brought about by comparison between concepts that come from different scientific fields. To reinforce this idea, Zhang and Merunka [11] found that, by exploiting the unique characteristics of a particular territory, a brand can enhance consumers' perception of product quality and authenticity, e.g., the cases of terroir and geographical indication. Therefore, a question arises: what are the uses, functions and speeches attributed to the territorial brand over time?…”

Brand narratives: Content and consequences among heritage brands

“…Research outside the heritage domain suggests that brand narratives frequently refer to places to stimulate desirable consumer responses (Kim et al, 2017). Conveying narrative information about the geographic origins of the firm's founding can trigger associations of honesty and transparency (Zhang & Merunka, 2014). Thus, we expect that: A few more story elements are omitted here, although they have been identified in the literature on storytelling and/or heritage.…”

Mining, land restoration and sustainable development in isolated islands: An industrial ecology perspective on extractive transitions on Nauru

“…An interesting avenue would be 'territory of origin' marketing, which has spread from traditional areas to include markets like stone products. If Nauru incrementally builds it capacity and showcases commitment to rehabilitating mined-out land, it could tie into the growing market for products that 'generates associations linked to culture and tradition of a territory… as well as producers' sincerity, honesty, morality and passion' (Zhang and Merunka 2014). The associated island provenance premium 6 -justified in some respects by the TMR and TMP analyses displayed below-would allow Nauru to at least partially overcome the lack of competitiveness that has hampered this activity so far (Crowley 2011) and potentially provide a strong positive economic contribution from what has been seen for decades as an environmental burden.…”