Emotional branding of a city for inciting resident and visitor place attachment

Previous literature has focused on the antecedents of place attachment and the effects on place satisfaction and place loyalty. However, little is known about the relationship between emotional place branding and place attachment. This study analyses the process of creating an emotional city brand in order to promote emotional bonds and achieve resident and visitor place attachment. The northern Portuguese town of Viana do Castelo was chosen as case study to conduct a mixed-method approach. The authors conducted document analysis regarding the creation of the city brand and interviewed a city councillor to understand the way it was managed. A notable resident and a notable visitor with a strong bond with the city were also interviewed. Then the authors developed a focus group with heterogeneous profiles of residents and visitors in order to understand their perceptions of the city's image. Finally, place attachment was measured through a survey, with a sample of 285 respondents. The results not only show good acceptance of the city brand by residents and visitors but also reveal expectations of a more engaging and active communication strategy to achieve affective commitment. Place attachment is strong, especially concerning emotional factors, suggesting that city branding strategies evoking emotional bonds may reinforce place attachment. Place identity is stronger than place dependence as regards residents and visitors.