Features of Umbrella Brand Creation for a Territory

The paper given provides a research on a place branding creation. The research area is highly urgent due to globalization process. The science has a plenty of affiliated problems. One of them is an interregional place branding (IPB). The research is conducted to fulfil the gap with working-out a conception of IPB creation at the sample of Estonian and northwest Russian frontier. The study explores a lot of scientific literature and research on the topic. Within the paper, some general problems of IPB were formulated. The most attention was focused on three of them: image and identity dissonance, lack of the leading authority, responsible for making decisions on place branding, and a strong complexity of inner communication. The research methodology included two parts. First one is an analysis of secondary data, such as previous research, statistical analysis and a content analysis of responses of tourists ever been in region. The second part is hold upon an expert survey in order to find out the idea for a solid IPB creation for the territory issued. The results were a little bit unexpected. Firstly, this is the first research to explore the adjacent territory of Estonia and Russia. Secondly, nine experts were surveyed and the idea was found out – the medieval past of the region and tourism was chosen the optimal way to form an IPB. Thirdly, the content analysis spotted the problems, which can spoil the successful idea implementation. As the result, the theoretic conception of IPB creation was worked out on the basis of Simon Anholt’s model of competitive identity. The addition accorded integration status of territories and platforms for decision making (on the strategy of brand promotion). After forming the model, the recommendations were proposed. Umbrella brand should include a net of sub brands, so the series of thematic festivals was proposed and analyzed. Moreover, the criteria of efficiency measurement was proposed to the further research.