A strong city brand serves as a tool for satisfying internal stakeholders while simultaneously attracting external ones. This thesis investigates how the gap between the perception of the city by the local community, its portrayal to the public, and the desires of decision-makers influence the brand of Novo mesto, with its primary goal being to identify the main points of divergence among them. The theoretical foundations for exploring differences between corporate brands and city brands, city marketing and branding, and the importance of a strong city identity are presented. This is analyzed using the AC2ID test of corporate identities, which we adapt for the identities of Novo mesto. Following a literature review, the thesis includes a case study, conducting a survey with the local community to establish the perceived identity, examining the communicated identity through an analysis of the town's promotional channels, and determining the desired identity through an interview with the Deputy Mayor of Novo mesto. We analyze the identities according to a conceptual framework of the town's four elements: management system, service provider, physical evidence, and people. The analysis reveales that the greatest discrepancies exist between the communicated and perceived identities, particularly in the areas of mobility and tourism, where clearly defined roles for individual stakeholders are lacking. The key advantage of the city lies in its economic strength and consequent employment opportunities, leisure activities, and ongoing infrastructure development. In summary, the city needs to address certain discrepancies among its various identities, but the main challenge is the communicated identity itself or its limitations.
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