Purpose

This paper aims to explore how place identity can be expressed in residents’ place image descriptions, addressing differences and similarities in place identity expressions between residents’ descriptions of the image of their place and the image of the place as described to others.

Design/methodology/approach

In-depth interviews were conducted with residents of a Swedish city. Place image descriptions were analyzed through thematic analysis.

Findings

Different types of identity perspectives manifest in the place image descriptions of residents. Respondents’ associations reflect place, person and social group identity perspectives, including their own perspective as residents, but also as visitors, or a combination of both. Priming is needed when gathering place image perceptions, to establish which underlying identity perspective is expressed.

Research limitations/implications

This study offers a Nordic perspective on the organic communication of place image. The scope and qualitative nature of this study is a limitation to its generalizability but also suggests a rich ground for future cross-cultural studies on the topic.

Practical implications

Results point to the importance of accurately formulating questions to catch stakeholders’ place image. Insights are offered into how stakeholders communicate Nordic place image perceptions when engaging in communication about a place and into the effects of identity on organic place brand communication.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first to explore how key stakeholders’ lenses to interpret a place brand are activated in the communication of place image, and how this influences their descriptions of the place.

中文翻译：

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一张值一千字的图片？利益相关者身份观点在地方图像描述中的表达

目的

本文旨在探讨如何在居民的地方形象描述中表达地方身份，解决居民对其地方形象的描述与向他人描述的地方形象在地方身份表达上的差异和相似之处。

设计/方法/方法

对瑞典城市的居民进行了深入访谈。通过专题分析对地点图像描述进行了分析。

发现

不同类型的身份视角体现在居民的地方形象描述中。受访者的联想反映了地方、个人和社会群体的身份认同观点，包括他们作为居民的观点，也包括作为访客的观点，或两者的结合。在收集场所形象感知时需要启动，以确定表达的潜在身份观点。

研究限制/影响

本研究为地方形象的有机传播提供了北欧视角。这项研究的范围和定性性质限制了其普遍性，但也为未来关于该主题的跨文化研究提供了丰富的基础。

实际影响

结果表明准确地制定问题以捕捉利益相关者的地方形象的重要性。深入了解利益相关者在参与有关地方的交流时如何交流北欧地方形象感知以及身份对有机地方品牌传播的影响。

原创性/价值

据作者所知，这项研究是第一批探讨关键利益相关者解释地方品牌的镜头如何在地方形象的传播中被激活，以及这如何影响他们对地方的描述。