Urban branding and place as a quality product: innovations in the urban experience

The experience of a place may become an integral part of a product experience. The enhancement of products (Splendiani et al (2013) "assumes a meaning which goes beyond the simple sale of material goods. It covers the supply of complex experiences (...) enriched by intangible elements capable to stimulate and involve the sensory and experiential component of consumption. It deals with attracting people to the places where local products are made by inserting the products in the most extensive offers covering the entire territorial system of reference" The experience may also be used for the spectacolarisation of a place and its commercialisation, as in the case of "brandscapes" (Klingman, 2007). In this case it is important not to clone every place every where because they could inevitably resemble each other without be able to really engage the people who move into them (Lehtovouri, 2010). Purpose Starting from these premises, the aim of the paper is illustrating the role of experience in urban regeneration projects and to explore how the experience of high quality product luxury places can be sustainable with existent place identity or new place identity to be suitably created. Methodology approach The methodology approach is based on: a wide bibliography and internet research based on the main terms connected to the topics of the paper, including: experience, place identity, quality product, regeneration; on case studies - even though not illustrated - concerning places of interest for the research topics, such as: Hafencity in Hamburg, the Albert Dock in Liverpool, Abondaibarra area in Bilbao. Findings The planning of places of quality product cannot be separated from interpretation of the territory as a cultural system resulting from an ensemble of historical, economic, and social processes. In such a system, the contribution of the cultural factor must be considered propulsive, not only for its qualitative meaning, but also and especially for the role of 'trait d'union' of a number of actions taken to protect and enhance places. Originality/value The increasing importance of the use of experience in the urban regeneration process, is leading cities to be involved in constructing suitable images and symbols of their transformed areas in order to meet the new trends, also according with luxurious ones. Even though globalisation is one of the main dangers in innovative itineraries, the proper planning of quality architecture and public spaces could prevent it by creating a suitable mix between innovation and culture.