Regional branding: assessment of the use of new development tools in modern conditions

New economic conditions have created additional incentives to promote unique natural and cultural values of geographical origin in the form of regional brands. Combining a clear and meaningful set of attributes of regional identity, the brand is able to have a significant impact on the associative choice of the consumer, as well as act as a conductor of national and regional interests. Accelerating and expanding the development of regional brands is given special attention on the agenda of the Upper House of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. Among the organizational tasks is the creation of conditions for the application of modern intellectual property tools to regional brands that have a high scientific, cultural and economic value. This paper attempts to assess the readiness of the regional community to use new development tools in the form of regional brands. Based on a wide range of scientific publications, the authors conclude that the key reasons for the low demand for instruments of legal protection of regional brands are: the lack of effective incentive mechanisms for entrepreneurs, the lack of trust between the actors of social interaction in the process of promoting shared values. The underestimation of the importance of the legal protection of regional brands is confirmed by a quantitative analysis of the dynamics of registration of the right to an appellation of origin and a geographical indication. The novelty of the authors' approach lies in the perspective of considering the problem from the standpoint of behavioral economics. The subject area of the balance of interests of subjects is considered by the authors as part of a structural-logical model. The results obtained indirectly confirm that in order to launch a sustainable demand for the legal protection of regional brands, such conditions are necessary so that manufacturers of products containing regional specifics can expect to receive economic benefits and social approval in the medium and long term. The results of the study can be used to improve the competence of regional administrations in matters of territory branding. The practice of applying the principles of behavioral economics to address issues related to the motives of participants in the chain of creation and promotion of regional brands is seen as a promising direction for further research.