Imago ja kuntarakenteen muutos

Seinäjoen ja Peräseinäjoen kuntaliitoksen vaikutus alueellisen imagon kehittämiseen

Abstrakti

Current competition between regions has increased
pressure to develop regional image. At the same
time the ongoing changes of regional structure
have affected place marketing. The main focus of
this article is on the changes in place marketing
that are caused by municipality merger. As analysing
the promotion material shows, the merger of
Seinäjoki and Peräseinäjoki municipalities has not
had significant affects on the place marketing of
Seinäjoki municipality. The main reasons for this is
thought to be the different characteristics of the two
regions and the focus of Seinäjoki to concentrate on
its recently strengthened image in higher education
and technology. In this situation bringing the more
rural elements to the city’s promotion might create
contradictory and confusing messages. Although the
merger has not brought much new to Seinäjoki’s
promotion, in the Peräseinäjoki region it is expected
that the consolidation will bring more inhabitants to
the region and the region’s attractors will be developed.
It seems thus, that the Peräseinäjoki region is
expected to benefit from Seinäjoki’s image after the
municipality merger.