Against all Odds? Applying the ‘5P’-Model in Place Marketing of Peripheral Areas

• The lack of accessibility to markets determines the absolute and relative competitiveness of peripheral regions. The combination of low population density and huge distances makes it difficult to achieve any economies of scale in terms of service provision, transport, ICT etc. in (spatially) peripheral regions. The concept of ‘aspatial peripherality’ describe regions with poor knowledge resources, e.g. poor quality of the local information technology infrastructure and no access or poor access to local, national and global institutional structures and networks. Limited resources makes some sort of public action a necessity; both types of peripherality have difficulties in attracting investments, business, residents or tourists. By applying place marketing strategies to such areas these above mentioned challenges can be met.This paper aims to discuss the applicability of the 5P marketing model (place, product, price, promotion, people) in place marketing of peripheral regions. This study offers a theoretical discussion and will explore new routes of using this model in place marketing. In relation to this, policy implications of its implementation to peripheral areas will be discussed.The findings indicate that the classical 5P marketing model offers a good point of departure in place marketing of peripheral areas, partly because of its ability to structure the work and identify areas of improvement. This applies for all possible target groups. Marketing activities need however to be designed differently for every target group and this paper offers some theoretical schemes to illustrate this. A policy finding when applying the 5P marketing model in peripheral areas is that the government needs to actively contribute - which is not the same as paying for everything! - to overcome e.g. the relatively bad accessibility and poor knowledge resources. Without an explicit long term commitment by the government, the market actors will feel uncertain about investing in peripheral areas.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Ekonomi och näringsliv -- Företagsekonomi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Economics and Business -- Business Administration (hsv//eng)

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