Abstract
In recent years, place branding has emerged as a strategic approach to regional revitalization. However, despite the involvement of various stakeholders in local branding initiatives, the role of residents has often been overlooked. In this paper, we analyze the Otaru City case study from the perspective of place branding, incorporating a geographic perspective, to extract factors that create residents' engagement for the local community and place. Our findings reveal that the unique history and culture of the area, involvement in community activities, value co-creation from multiple perspectives, and local government support are crucial for fostering engagement. Furthermore, the results also suggest that engagement for the local community and place. not only leads to behavioral changes, such as increased leadership behavior and organizational citizenship behavior, but also to psychological shifts, including enhanced positive emotions towards the community.
https://ror.org/03ppx1p25 
