Developing Patterns for Thinking About City Marketing Initiatives

Abstract

This chapter defines three different patterns to understand how city marketing initiatives are designed and implementing, and how information and communication technologies (ICTs) can support the implementation of such patterns. The word pattern is used to characterize particular ways of thinking which embed values and beliefs about city marketing. The first pattern (idealist) assumes that a visionary type of image of cities can be developed to attract people to cities. The second pattern (strategic) emphasizes dialogue and participation in shaping up marketing initiatives by considering the underlying beliefs and values of people and how these can be “branded”. The third pattern (power-based) aims to be inclusive of intended and unintended effects of marketing so as to develop initiatives for the people and by the people. In the chapter, the role(s) of ICTs are discussed. Experience of using these patterns to understand the situation of two cities (Hull,UK, and Brest, France) leads us to suggest the intertwining of these patterns, and hence the importance of people’s engagement to facilitate better use of ICTs in the context of city marketing initiatives.