Abstract

It is demonstration that image as deliberately structured image becomes evaluative and motivational content, so it does influence people’s behavior, carriers of this image, on their relation to real events. Regarding the city’s image should be considered as an intangible asset of the relevant territory, contributing along with other resources to ensure sustainable development of the self­governing territory. It was determined that all of the definition of ‘city image’ can be divided into two groups according to the degree of conscious participation in its formation of representatives of local authorities: naturally formed image of the area (ie, the process of image formation area management entities not interfere with, or their intervention reduced to a minimum and it is unconscious); artificially generated image area (ie, the area where the image is formed specifically local authorities). It is proved that a favorable image of the city directly affects the increase of its competitiveness as image formation is equally important aspect of administration, the actual policy. In forming of the socio­political dimension city image selected following vectors: the image of the city as ‘a means of filling the purse’ and a way to increase jobs (it is focused on investors to seek additional resources both within the village and beyond); image of the city as a ‘brand attractions’ (it is focused on the tourism industry, when the settlement becomes of interest to a large number of tourists and travelers and city residents taking part in coordinated work of the industry); image of the city to the public (it is seen as a phenomenon of creating your own I residents of the settlement, including the elusive concept image, emotional ties, as well as a way to gain credibility and trust in government in the eyes of the population). Demarcation of concepts ‘city image’ and ‘city brand’. City brand advocates combining link between the internal and external image of the city is described as the first image, which consists in the minds of people who live in the area (ie own urban identity) and the second – as a representation of the territory, which was formed in the population living abroad (ie proper image of the city). Brand city is defined as a set of unique competitive advantages of a city among competitors, sending the system of bright and positive symbols, signals, ideas and associations that the best way convey meaning, beauty, competitive advantage and uniqueness of the city, so that it becomes well known and loved by.