Place promotion, economic location and the consumption of city image

Abstract

As European and American cities suffer the effects of declining manufacturing bases place promotion strategies have become increasingly important to attract new investment. These involve the creation of a new image of cities. However, very little is known about how effective the marketed image is. The role of the image of Manchester (UK) promoted by the Central Manchester Development Corporation (CMDC) in office relocation is evaluated. An analysis of the experience of office managers as consumers of this image reveals considerable diversity of perception. The results suggest the need for further research into the nature and effectiveness of place images.