Examples in Practice

In the previous chapter, several foundational elements of the framework given in Figure 3.1 were detailed. How those elements mesh for a practical and analytical tool is the focus of this chapter, which showcases cities through phases of the image. For reasons of space, narratives for all 21 cities analyzed are not presented; instead, examples of cities in each phase of the image are highlighted to show differences in rhetoric and presentation. I draw particular attention to the distinction in language, color, imagery, and meaningfulness behind the characteristics present in cities within each phase. As indicated in earlier chapters, I only considered a selling tactic (Zavattaro, 2013a) significant if a city used it regularly and meaningfully. To illustrate, I counted a city as using media relations if it had a regular press release schedule, dedicated media relations contact, and the systematic, strategic use of other media relations tools such as policy papers, e-mail press kits, newsletters, etc. (Reber & Kim, 2006). If, on the other hand, the city issued press releases every month or so, I did not count this as a meaningfully used tactic. How tactics were used and the language found within organizational documents influenced a city’s placement in phases of the image and subsequent implications for democratic governance. I encourage readers to search the web for each city studied herein to see for themselves the distinctions in language, color, imagery, and meaningfulness. Then, readers can search their own city websites and documents and use the framework to determine its placement in phases of the image.