Do experiential events create city brand?

Abstract

Purpose - This article analyzes to what extent mega-events are capable of developing powerful city brands that are internationally recognized - a topic that has been little studied to date. Design/methodology/approach - We used the quantitative method. We carried out 398 surveys with citizens living in Aguascalientes (Mexico), during the mega-event known as the Feria Nacional de San Marcos. Findings - The results allow us to verify that (i) with regard to background: residents' attitudes towards a city brand improve following experiences in mega-events in that city (H1) and (ii) with regard to effects: improving city brand attitudes increases residents' quality of life (H2). Originality/value - To date, there is no literature investigating how experiences in cultural mega-events improve attitudes towards city brands and, consequently, improve quality of life. To fill this gap, this article investigates the great advantages which mega-events can bring to a city.