Place status, place loyalty and well being: an exploratory investigation of Israeli residents

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of the current exploratory study is to examine whether place status (ordinary or prestigious) and place loyalty can be related to personal well being (measured by happiness and self‐esteem).Design/methodology/approachData were collected through a field survey with 150 respondents.FindingsSignificant differences were found between residents of prestigious versus ordinary communities. Among those who perceive their community as ordinary, the paper found no relationship between place loyalty and self esteem, and a marginally significant negative relationship between place loyalty and happiness. In contrast, among those who perceive their community as prestigious, the paper found a positive relationship between place loyalty and happiness, and a marginally significant positive relationship between place loyalty and self esteem.Research limitations/implicationsThe present study is based on a rather small non‐representative sample. As it is unclear whether place loyalty predicts happiness or vice versa, future research is needed to further examine this relationship.Practical implicationsThe current findings suggest that place branding efforts have the potential of strengthening residents' loyalty to their living places on the one hand, and enhancing their well being on the other.Originality/valueThe current study examines for the first time the relationship between the marketing parameters of brand status and customer loyalty, and the psychological constructs of happiness and self‐esteem, in the unique context of living place. This relationship has not been previously studied and has much relevance to the literature about place branding.