Urban management and brand definition with thematic focus on the city of Mashhad

Instead of being unproductive places for economic investment or the concentration of unemployed workers with a multitude of economic, social and environmental problems, cities should become centers of economic and social growth and dynamism in the national framework. However, in order to survive in the world's competitive market, cities must maintain a successful mental image of themselves, or restore the valid mental image of the past, or renew branding by creating new mental images of themselves. This research has been conducted with the aim of evaluating the urban management and defining the brand based on the city of Mashhad. By examining the branding strategies of many cities in the world, it can be said that to what extent this approach can be effective in the minds of residents and travelers in the future, because branding can create positive or negative mental associations in the audience. In this regard, the branding process It can serve as a guide to achieve economic benefits from the city's comparative advantage. The favorable image of Mashhad metropolis in the minds of residents and other people can attract more investors, tourists and immigrants. Also, in order to plan and make appropriate decisions for this city, city managers need a proper understanding of the current image of the city and the factors influencing its formation.