Finns det plats för alla? En kvalitativ studie kring kommunal platsmarknadsföring

Sammanfattning: This study examines the involvement and visibility of the citizens in municipal place branding, a trending phenomenon which has been criticized for not taking the diversity of a place, and its citizens, into consideration. The aim of this study is to elucidate how this problem is perceived by pro-fessionals. Therefore interviews with practitioners of place branding have been conducted to illuminate their conceptions about the relationship between the citi-zens and the place brand. The study has through qualitative content analysis shown that the citizens are being constructed as insignificant in the municipal branding activities and this makes them invisible in the place brand itself. This is an effect of the market oriented strategy used by the municipality, distancing itself from citizens to meet the market demand. The critique regarding market oriented work methods and excluding of the citizens have been confirmed, and more effort is needed to increase citizen representation.