ЕМОЦІЙНИЙ МАРКЕТИНГ У БРЕНД-КОМУНІКАЦІЯХ МІСТА

The growing competition between cities for human, tourist, and investment resources determines the relevance of improving urban brand communications through non-material factors, particularly emotional influence. In the context of socio-economic transformations and post-war recovery, emotional marketing becomes an important tool for strengthening the competitiveness of urban territories. The purpose of this article is to analyze and further develop theoretical provisions and practical recommendations for enhancing the brand communications of Ukrainian cities through emotional marketing in order to increase their emotional attractiveness among local residents and potential tourists. The research is based on a combination of general scientific and special methods, including analysis and synthesis, systematization, comparative analysis, abstraction, and SWOT analysis. These methods made it possible to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of an urban emotional brand, as well as to determine key emotional drivers that shape the perception of a city. The study results demonstrate that emotional marketing significantly influences the formation of emotional attachment to a city, shapes positive perceptions of its image, and strengthens loyalty among target audiences. It is substantiated that the effective integration of emotional elements into urban brand communications contributes to a more coherent, authentic, and expressive city image and enhances its competitiveness in the tourism market. Special attention is paid to identifying emotional determinants related to place attachment, local identity, and symbolic associations, which play a crucial role in residents’ and visitors’ perceptions of the city. The practical value of the article lies in the possibility of applying the proposed recommendations by local authorities, municipal marketing departments, and tourism organizations when developing or updating city branding strategies aimed at strengthening emotional engagement, increasing trust in urban communications, and improving the overall attractiveness and sustainability of urban territories.