Umbrella place branding in the digital era: Mutualities and externalities among local stakeholders

This study explores the roles of government, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and farmers in the development of place branding, using Yunyang County in China as a case study. Adopting a qualitative methodology, the research is based on in-depth interviews with key stakeholders and analysis of government documents. The findings reveal that the local government serves as the central driver of brand construction, responsible for brand positioning, strategic planning, supervision, and funding. SMEs, while aware of the benefits of branding, remain largely passive due to limited resources and capabilities. Farmers, as producers, are detached from branding efforts and focus primarily on agricultural production. The umbrella branding strategy adopted—centered around the “Natural Yunyang” public brand—demonstrates both mutual reinforcement and potential externalities among stakeholders. Additionally, the study suggests that artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance brand governance by facilitating automated certification, quality control, and market intelligence, thereby empowering resource-constrained actors to participate more effectively in the branding process.