Experience in the formation of a territorial brand and the boundaries of the method
The plurality of territorial brands is a problem of many large and small cities, regions, as well as historical, cultural, and natural territories; however, it continues to be under-researched. At the same time, understanding the reasons why we again and again have to observe this phenomenon in a particular territory is absolutely necessary for the successful solution of the tasks of their strategic development. The analysis of this phenomenon makes it possible to study the conceptual prerequisites that determine the emergence of a situation of a plurality of territorial brands and opens up the possibility of testing the validity of some theoretical concepts in practice. To achieve these objectives, using the example of the city of Tomsk and Tomsk Oblast, I analyze the history and logic of the formation of a territorial brand, the role of city and regional administrations at different stages of its formation and development. I also reveal the conceptual attitudes of the participants in the process of forming the territorial brand, which they voluntarily or involuntarily follow when making decisions in this area. The results of the study show that the principles of cognitive relativism have a significant impact on the decision-making of persons involved in the formation and management of a territorial brand, and also make it possible to establish the limits of applicability of the above methodological setting. The author declares no conflicts of interests.