engleski

Urban icons as a foundation of city brand: The case of city Zagreb

Purpose: This paper explores urban icons (e.g., buildings, monuments, natural elements) as essential elements of a city brand, their usage in the strategic development and communication of a city brand, and in the capacity of the primary motivators for visiting a particular city. Furthermore, the paper aims to discover urban icons of one city brand (Zagreb) and its citizens' perceptions about urban icons (pre-global, natural, and contemporary). Methodology: A qualitative research approach encompassing a three-phase study was applied. The first phase consisted of a detailed overview of the Zagreb Tourist Board web pages to identify which urban icons are used in marketing communication. In the second phase, mental maps were used to investigate associations related to the term "Zagreb urban icons." Finally, 16 in- depth interviews with Zagreb citizens were conducted to gain more insight into the most significant urban icons associated with the Zagreb city brand. Results: The research discovered 82 urban icons used in marketing communication of the Zagreb Tourist Board. Results identified many urban icons from the pre-global period (before 1960). Among the most important, the top three were St Mark's Church, Croatian National Theatre, and Zagreb Cathedral. As for natural urban icons, park Zrinjevac is the essential one. Contemporary urban icons are less associated with the Zagreb city brand. Conclusion: The first academic paper that discovers urban icons of the Zagreb city brand and its citizens' perceptions proves the importance of the theoretical grounding for using urban icons in city brand management and offers useful insight for practitioners engaged in the Zagreb city branding.

authentic city brand ; urban icons ; qualitative research

nije evidentirano