City branding: A brand concept map analysis of a university town

The aims of this research are (1) to assess the relative saliency of
image attributes associated with history, heritage and culture in shaping the
perceptions of students choosing a university town and (2) to investigate whether
brand concept mapping (BCM) is applicable to cities. The city brand image is
captured through Zaltman ’ s Metaphor Elicitation Technique, BCM and importanceperformance
ratings. The authors identifi ed six categories of criteria used by
students when selecting a university town. In applying the results to Liege, a Belgian
university town, the authors showed that Liege is recognized for its nightlife, its
young population and its historical heritage. This article proposes a useful framework
for city councils to assess how to compare the perception of different segments
regarding cities; how to improve the city brand image; how to compare different
university towns; and how to attract students. Finally, the research validates earlier
studies on BCM, confi rms the improvement of the methodology and widens its
applications to city brands.