Abstract
Promotional video of a city with its strengths in visual and audio impacts that crystallizes the history, culture and future of it is playing an ever more important role in city branding. Against this backdrop, this study will conduct an empirical examination into such videos of Ningbo, a coastal city in Zhejiang province in China. Guided by the conceptual framework of narrative paradigm in the operationalization of repositioning in city branding in comparison with some successful cases of promotional videos, this study has found that the city’s repositioning branding strives still have many aspects to improve so that its competitive edge, uniformity in positioning, compelling story-telling and uniqueness can be enhanced and improved. Contribution to literature and innovation of the study lies in the incorporation of the method of thematic multimodal discourse analysis into city branding through analyzing visual, audio and textual effects of promotional videos. Significance of this study is that second and lower tier cities such as Ningbo home the bigger population of a country, successful promotion will set a good example for other place brandings and in turn may improve the overall competitiveness of such cities.
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1057%2Fs41254-022-00292-0/MediaObjects/41254_2022_292_Fig1_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1057%2Fs41254-022-00292-0/MediaObjects/41254_2022_292_Fig2_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1057%2Fs41254-022-00292-0/MediaObjects/41254_2022_292_Fig3_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1057%2Fs41254-022-00292-0/MediaObjects/41254_2022_292_Fig4_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1057%2Fs41254-022-00292-0/MediaObjects/41254_2022_292_Fig5_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1057%2Fs41254-022-00292-0/MediaObjects/41254_2022_292_Fig6_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1057%2Fs41254-022-00292-0/MediaObjects/41254_2022_292_Fig7_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1057%2Fs41254-022-00292-0/MediaObjects/41254_2022_292_Fig8_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1057%2Fs41254-022-00292-0/MediaObjects/41254_2022_292_Fig9_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1057%2Fs41254-022-00292-0/MediaObjects/41254_2022_292_Fig10_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1057%2Fs41254-022-00292-0/MediaObjects/41254_2022_292_Fig11_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1057%2Fs41254-022-00292-0/MediaObjects/41254_2022_292_Fig12_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1057%2Fs41254-022-00292-0/MediaObjects/41254_2022_292_Fig13_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1057%2Fs41254-022-00292-0/MediaObjects/41254_2022_292_Fig14_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1057%2Fs41254-022-00292-0/MediaObjects/41254_2022_292_Fig15_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1057%2Fs41254-022-00292-0/MediaObjects/41254_2022_292_Fig16_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1057%2Fs41254-022-00292-0/MediaObjects/41254_2022_292_Fig17_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1057%2Fs41254-022-00292-0/MediaObjects/41254_2022_292_Fig18_HTML.jpg)
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alegro, Tjaša, and Maja Turnšek. 2021. Striving to be different but becoming the same: creativity and destination brands’ promotional videos. Sustainability 13 (139): 139. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13010139.
Alli, J.R. 2017. London—city in motion. June Youtube. June 19, 2017. 1:41. https://youtu.be/bqSY4MSvFc8. Accessed 14 Jan 2022.
Adu travels to China. 2020. Shipai Ningbo shizhongxin, tai fanhua le, bukui shi xin yixian dachengshi, haokan shipin [Real shot of Ningbo city center, so busy, worthy of a new first-line big city - good-looking video]. Tencent Video. December 6, 2020. 3:59. https://v.qq.com/x/page/y320908esgi.html. Accessed 14 Jan 2022.
Baesler, E.J. 1995. Construction and test of an empirical measure for narrative coherence and fidelity. Communication Reports 8 (2): 97–101. https://doi.org/10.1080/08934219509367615.
Bei**g New Studio Media Co., Ltd. 2020.【Ningbo】《zheli shi ningbo》 zheli shi zhongguo zuiju xingfugan chengshi [(Ningbo) "This is Ningbo" -- The happiest city in China]. Bilibili. March 19, 2020. 1:35. https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1m7411R7LR?share_source=copy_web. Accessed 14 Jan 2022.
Braun, Virginia, and Victoria Clarke. 2006. Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology 3 (2): 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa.
Camaj, Lindita. 2010. Media framing through stages of a political discourse: international news agencies’ coverage of Kosovo’s status negotiations. International Communication Gazette 72 (7): 635–653. https://doi.org/10.1177/1748048510378147.
Chen, Steven, and Eric Shih. 2019. City branding through cinema: the case of postcolonial Hong Kong. Journal of Brand Management 26 (5): 505–521. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41262-018-0119-z.
Dinnie, Keith. 2011. Introduction to the theory of city branding. In City branding: theory and cases, ed. Keith Dinnie, 3–7. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Drone China. 2018. City of the future: aerial tour of shenzhen china. Youtube. September 29, 2018. 2:28. https://youtu.be/45X0Q1d6Jwk. Accessed 14 Jan 2022.
Eaves, M.H., and M. Savoie. 2005. Big brother: merging reality and fiction: an application of the narrative paradigm. Texas Speech Communication Journal, 29(2).
Fisher, W.R. 1984. Narration as a human communication paradigm: the case of public moral argument. Communication Monographs 51 (1): 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/03637758409390180.
Fisher, W.R. 1985. The narrative paradigm: an elaboration. Communication Monographs 52 (4): 347–367. https://doi.org/10.1080/03637758509376117.
Forward-looking Industry Research Institute. 2021. 2021 zhongguo duanshipin hangye fazhan xianzhuang ji shichang guimo fenxi, duanshipin yonghu guimo ji shiyonglv chixu zengzhang [Analysis of the development status and market scale of China's short video industry in 2021. The scale and usage rate of short video users continue to grow.] Qianzhan 3 December. https://bg.qianzhan.com/trends/detail/506/211203-38c9a4fd.html. Accessed 26 Apr 2022.
Gómez, Mar, Alejandra C. Fernández, Arturo Molina, and Evabgelina Aranda. 2018. City branding in European capitals: an analysis from the visitor perspective. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management 7: 190–201. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2016.11.001.
Holloway, Immy, and Les Todres. 2003. The status of method: flexibility, consistency and coherence. Qualitative Research 3 (3): 345–357. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794103033004.
Information Office of Ningbo Municipal People’s Government. 2019. Ningbo chengshi xuanchuanpian『xuanze ningbo jiushi xuanze weilai』[Ningbo city promotion film "Choosing Ningbo is choosing the future"]. HaoKan. November 10, 2019. 4:25. https://haokan.baidu.com/v?vid=14571162515121573153&pd=pcshare. Accessed 14 Jan 2022.
Insch, Andrea, and Bradley Bowden. 2016. Possibilities and limits of brand repositioning for a second-ranked city: the case of Brisbane, Australia’s “New World City”, 1979–2013. Cities 56: 47–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2016.03.003.
**, G. 2020. Mingque chengshi zhudao gongneng, juli dazao ‘gongnengxing guoji chengshi’ [Clarification of main functions of the city by focusing on building a ‘functional international city’]. Development Research Center of Ningbo Municipal People’s Government, 26 June. http://fyzx.ningbo.gov.cn/art/2020/6/26/art_1229052667_50125714.html. Accessed 14 Jan 2022.
Kaczynski, Andrew T., Mark E. Havitz, and Ronald E. McCarville. 2005. Altering perceptions through repositioning: an exercise in framing. Leisure Sciences 27 (3): 241–261. https://doi.org/10.1080/01490400590930871.
Károly, Krisztina. 2014. Referential cohesion and news content: a case study of shifts of reference in Hungarian-English news translation. Target 26 (3): 406–431. https://doi.org/10.1075/target.26.3.04kar.
Kim, D.K., A. Singhal, T. Hanaki, J. Dunn, K. Chitnis, and M.W. Han. 2009. Television drama, narrative engagement and audience buying behavior: the effects of Winter Sonata in Japan. International Communication Gazette 71 (7): 595–611.
Kotler, Philip, Donald H. Haider, and Irving Rein. 1993. Marketing places: attracting investment, industry and tourism to cities, states, and nations. New York: Maxwell Macmillan Int.
Lähdesmäki, Tuuli. 2017. Politics of affect in the EU heritage policy discourse: an analysis of promotional videos of sites awarded with the European Heritage Label. International Journal of Heritage Studies 23 (8): 709–722. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527258.2017.1317649.
Larsen, Henrik Gert. 2014. The emerging Shanghai city brand: a netnographic study of image perception among foreigners. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management 3 (1): 18–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2013.12.003.
Lau, Freeman, and Angelica Leung. 2011. Chongqing’s city branding: the role of graphic design. In City branding: theory and cases, ed. Keith Dinnie, 131–137. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Leotta, Alfio. 2020. ‘This isn’t a movie . . . it’s a tourism ad for Australia’: the Dundee campaign and the semiotics of audiovisual tourism promotion. Tourist Studies 20(2): 203–221.
Liu, Nancy **uzhi. 2020. Port city on the maritime silk road: Ningbo’s city branding under the theme of intellectuals. In International flows in the belt and road initiative context, ed. Chan Hinkai, Faith Chan, and David O’Brien, 253–270. Singapore: Palgrave Macmillan.
Lucarelli, Andrea. 2012. Unraveling the complexity of “city brand equity”: a three-themeal framework. Journal of Place Management and Development 5 (3): 231–252. https://doi.org/10.1108/17538331211269648.
Lui, Tai-lok. 2008. City-branding without content: Hong Kong’s aborted West Kowloon mega-project, 1998–2006. International Development Planning Review 30 (3): 215–226. https://doi.org/10.3828/idpr.30.3.2.
National Development and Reform Commission of the People’s Republic of China. 2016. The 13th five-year plan for economic and social development of the People’s Republic of China (2016–2020). Translated by Compilation and Translation Bureau, Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. https://en.ndrc.gov.cn/policies/202105/P020210527785800103339.pdf. Accessed 23 Sept 2022.
New Land Planner. 2021. Analysis of Ningbo urban development strategy planning for 2049. NetEase 27 May. https://www.163.com/dy/article/GB1HIC5K0521C7DD.html. Accessed 20 Dec 2021.
Ningbo Culture, Radio, Film and Television Tourism Bureau. 2020【Ningbo 2020 lvyou xuanchuanpian】ningbo huanyingni [(Ningbo 2020 tourism promotional video) Welcome to Ningbo]. Bilibili. May 26, 2020. 3:04. https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1QQ4y1A7dP? share_source=copy_web. Accessed 14 Jan 2022.
Ningbo Jimchuang Culture Media Co., Ltd. 2020. chuangyi ningbo chengshi yanshi sheying heji -《X ningbo》[Creative Ningbo city time-lapse photography collection 2020 - "X Ningbo"]. Bilibili. July 6, 2020. 1:47. https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1vC4y1h7wf?share_source=copy_web. Accessed 14 Jan 2022.
Ningbo Municipal Party Committee and Renmin Video. 2021a. “Ningbo 60 miao” xilie duanshipin di’erji《tingjian ningbo》[“Ningbo 60 seconds" series of short video episode 2 "Hearing Ningbo"]. Haokan. January 4, 2021a. 1:07. https://haokan.baidu.com/v?vid=14983738535132578933. Accessed 14 Jan 2022.
Ningbo Municipal Party Committee and Renmin Video. 2021b. “Ningbo 60 miao” xilie duanshipin diyiji《kanjian ningbo》["Ningbo 60 seconds" series of short video episode 1 "Seeing Ningbo"]. Haokan. January 4, 2021b. 1:06. https://haokan.baidu.com/v?pd=wisenatural&vid=8622502199935239229. Accessed 14 Jan 2022.
Ooi, Can-Seng. 2011. Paradoxes of city branding and societal changes. In City branding: theory and cases, ed. Keith Dinnie, 54–61. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Pfau, M.W. 2005. Evaluating conspiracy: narrative, argument, and ideology in Lincoln’s “House Divided” speech. Argumentation and Advocacy 42 (2): 57–73. https://doi.org/10.1080/00028533.2005.11821642.
Resource Development Office. 2020a. Haisi gugang weixiao ningbo fabu [Haisi ancient port smiles Ningbo]. Ningbo Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, and Tourism. July 3, 2020. 2:31. http://wglyj.ningbo.gov.cn/art/2020/7/3/art_1229058131_49750572.html. Accessed 14 Jan 2022.
Resource Development Office. 2020b. **nhai [Heart Sea]. Ningbo Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, and Tourism. July 3, 2020. 4:15. http://wglyj.ningbo.gov.cn/art/2020/7/3/art_1229058131_49763233.html. Accessed 14 Janu 2022.
Resource Development Office. 2020c. tingningbo jiang gushi – yingwenban [Listen to Ningbo storytelling-English version]. Ningbo Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, and Tourism. July 3, 2020a. 2:53. http://wglyj.ningbo.gov.cn/art/2020a/7/3/art_1229058131_49763327.html. Accessed 14 Jan 2022.
Resource Development Office. 2020d. ningbo huijiang lvyou xuangchuanpian [Ningbo conference award tourism promotional video]. Ningbo Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, and Tourism. July 3, 2020b. 6:28. http://wglyj.ningbo.gov.cn/art/2020b/7/3/art_1229058131_49763189.html. Accessed 14 Jan 2022.
Resource Development Office. 2020e. ningbo qizhi – chengshi xuanchuan pian [Ningbo Temperament-City Promo]. Ningbo Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, and Tourism. July 3, 2020c. 7:23. http://wglyj.ningbo.gov.cn/art/2020c/7/3/art_1229058131_49762796.html. Accessed 14 Jan 2022.
Resource Development Office. 2020f. ningbo lvyou xuanchuanpian – yingwen jieshuo fawen zhushi [Ningbo tourism promotional video-English commentary in French]. Ningbo Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, and Tourism. July 3, 2020d. 6:29. http://wglyj.ningbo.gov.cn/art/2020d/7/3/art_1229058131_49762693.html. Accessed 14 Jan 2022.
Resource Development Office. 2020g. a’la Ningbo huanyingnin – yingshi xuanchuanpian [Welcome to Allah Ningbo-CCTV promotional video]. Ningbo Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, and Tourism. July 3, 2020e. 0:29. http://wglyj.ningbo.gov.cn/art/2020e/7/3/art_1229058131_49763406.html. Accessed 14 Jan 2022.
Rideout, J.C. 2008. Storytelling, narrative rationality, and legal persuasion. Legal Writing: J. Legal Writing Inst. 14: 53.
Roberts, K.G. 2004. Texturing the narrative paradigm: Folklore and communication. Communication Quarterly 52 (2): 129–142.
Say the city. 2019. ni bu zhi dao de ningbo, ningbo de zhong guo zhi zui he shi jie zhi zui, ningbo leng zhi shi! [You do not know Ningbo, Ningbo's China's most and the world's most, Ningbo cold knowledge!]. HaoKan. September 10, 2019. 0:45. https://haokan.baidu.com/v?vid=6238809472903917121&pd=pcshare. Accessed 14 Jan 2022.
Shani, Amir, Pp.-Ju. Chen, Youcheng Wang, and Nan Hua. 2010. Testing the impact of a promotional video on destination image change: application of China as a tourism destination. International Journal of Tourism Research 12 (2): 116–133. https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.738.
Talent Office of Ningbo Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China Creative Planning. 2020b. 2020 ningbo rencai kejizhou《zuimeide chuangkou》[Growing with Ningbo series: The 2020 Ningbo talent technology week “The most beautiful window”]. Bilibili. October 26, 2020. 2:38. https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1j5411L7m3? share_source=copy_web. Accessed 14 Jan 2022.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government. 2018a. Unstoppable journey-Cool. Youtube. October 1, 2018a. 0:31. https://youtu.be/Pn3bihdUHJM. Accessed 14 Jan 2022.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government. 2018b. Unstoppable journey-Cute. Youtube. October 1, 2018b. 0:31. https://youtu.be/fTdShUXV&Dk. Accessed 14 Jan 2022.
Tsai, Chen-Tsang., and (Simon), and Yao-Chin Wang. 2017. Experiential value in branding food tourism. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management 6 (1): 56–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2016.02.003.
Vanolo, Alberto. 2008. The image of the creative city: some reflections on urban branding in Turin. Cities 25 (6): 370–382. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2008.08.001.
Wang, Yilei, and Dexheng (William) Feng. 2021. History, modernity, and city branding in China: a multimodal critical discourse analysis of **’an’s promotional videos on social media. Social Semiotics. https://doi.org/10.1080/10350330.2020.1870405.
Warren, Giannina, and Keith Dinnie. 2017. Exploring the themes of place branding: an application of the ICON model to the branding of Toronto. International Journal of Tourism Cities 3 (1): 56–68. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJTC-10-2016-0035.
Woods, W.F., and W.R. Fisher. 1989. Human communication as narration: toward a philosophy of reason, value and action, vol. 40, pp. 236–238. National Council of Teachers of English.
Xu, Honggang, and Tien Ye. 2018. Dynamic destination image formation and change under the effect of various agents: the case of Lijiang, “The Capital of Yanyu.” Journal of Destination Marketing & Management 7: 131–139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2016.06.009.
Yao, Yinyan, and Yanfen Zhuo. 2018. A multimodal discourse analysis of the promotional video of Hangzhou. English Language Teaching 11 (10): 121–131. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v11n10p121.
Zhang, Chrystal, Yi Hsin Lin, and David G. Newman. 2016. Investigating the effectiveness of repositioning strategies: the customers’ perspective. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing 33 (9): 1235–1250. https://doi.org/10.1080/10548408.2015.1107018.
Zhang, Shixin Ivy, Yi Wang, Nancy X. Liu, and Yat-Ming Loo. 2020. Ningbo city branding and public diplomacy under the belt and road initiative in China. Place Branding and Public Diplomacy 17 (2): 127–139. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41254-020-00161-8.
Zhu, Hong, Junxi Qian, and Yun Gao. 2011. Globalization and the production of city image in Guangzhou’s metro station advertisements. Cities 28 (3): 221–229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2010.12.004.
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the Ningbo Philosophy and Social Science Research Base (cultivation category), Internationalizing Ningbo's Screen Industries (ningboshi yingshi wenchuang chanye guojihua fazhan jidi) 2021–2023. Special thanks go to the three students from the School of International Communications at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Yangmiqi Xu, Qilin **e and **nyuan Sui, who helped with data collection in this project.
Funding
Funding was provided by Ningbo Philosophy and Social Science Research Base.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Liu, N.X., Andriano-Moore, S. Repositioning of city branding through promotional videos: the case of Ningbo. Place Brand Public Dipl 19, 371–385 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41254-022-00292-0
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41254-022-00292-0