ŞEHİR SAKİNLERİNİN KENTSEL MARKA ALGISI: GAZİ MAĞUSA VE GİRNE (KUZEY KIBRIS) ÖRNEĞİ

Abstract

Şehir Markası literatürü, çeşitli Avrupa ülkelerinde nispeten olumlu marka imajına sahip tanınmış şehirlerin marka imajını ve kamuoyu algılarını yaygın olarak değerlendirmektedir. Ancak sorunlu geçmişlere sahip daha az bilinen ve daha küçük şehirlerin nasıl algılandıklarını göz önünde bulunduran araştırma nadirdir. Bu çalışma, nispeten olumsuz bir marka imajına sahip ve az bilinen bir yere odaklanmaktadır. Bu amaçla sadece Türkiye tarafından tanınan Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti'nde bulunan Gazimağusa ve Girne seçilmiştir. Çalışmada profesyoneller ve lisansüstü öğrenciler olmak üzere 40 sakinle yüz yüze görüşmeler yapılmış; bu şehirlerde yaşayan sakinlerin şehirlerini nasıl algıladıkları sorgulanmıştır. Sonuçlar, Kuzey Kıbrıs'ın siyasi ve ekonomik dezavantajlarına rağmen, Girne ve Gazimağusa sakinlerinin yaşadıkları şehre dair hem olumsuz (örneğin, zayıf şehir planlaması ve altyapı, kirlilik) hem de olumlu çağrışımları (örneğin, deniz, plajlar, limanlar, güvenlik, samimiyeti, sessiz) olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır.

Keywords

• Şehir Markası
• Mekân Markası
• Marka Algısı
• Sakinler
• Kuzey Kıbrıs

CITY RESIDENTS’ PERCEPTION TOWARDS THE BRAND: THE CASE OF FAMAGUSTA AND KYRENIA (NORTHERN CYPRUS)

Abstract

City Branding literature commonly evaluates the brand image and public perceptions of well-known cities with a relatively positive brand image in various European countries. But they fail to consider how less known and smaller cities with troubled pasts, can be branded. This study focuses on an unknown place with a relatively negative brand image. To this end, we selected two cities in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus; recognized only by Turkey. The study questions how residents perceive their city. Two groups of residents – professionals versus graduate students – living in Famagusta and Kyrenia are selected, and face-to-face interviews with 40 residents are conducted. The results show that despite the political and economic drawbacks of Northern Cyprus, residents of Kyrenia and Famagusta have both negative (e.g., poor city planning and infrastructure, pollution) as well as positive associations (e.g., the sea, beaches, harbours, safety, friendliness, quiet) with the city in which they live.

Keywords

• City Branding
• Place Branding
• Brand Perception
• Residents
• Northern Cyprus

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