Glamour or sham? Residents' perceptions of city branding in a superdiverse city: The case of Rotterdam

This study focused on the reconstruction of residents' city imaginaries in a superdiverse context, and on the question how residents relate to official city branding. This is an important question, as there is great gap in the literature on how residents perceive brands. Eight focus groups were conducted in the city of Rotterdam, which is considered a typical superdiverse city. The focus groups have shown the complexity of developing a city brand that fits residents' experiences, as the daily encounters and memories of residents go much deeper than most branding communications, in which 'superficial' assets of the city are put to the front. The raw, messy and multi -faced reality of residents is harshly in line with the 'picture perfect' brand image. Especially in a superdiverse city, as Rotterdam, where this 'messy' reality on the level of the streets is felt as home for many residents. The focus groups have hence captured a strong sense of belonging to the city, whereas the branding of the munic-ipality raises frustration and feelings of exclusion with residents. The overall feeling of disapproval of the city brand goes beyond individual characteristics of residents, such as age, education level and cultural background.