The Impact of Visual Consistency in City Official Website Interface on City Brand: A Case Analysis of UNESCO Creative Cities of Design

Abstract

In the context of intensified global competition, distinctive city branding has become a core strategy for urban development. As cities digitalize, official websites serve as central portals for cross-border communication and unified brand presentation. However, many city websites exhibit inconsistent visual identity, stylistic discontinuities, and visual hybridity, undermining credibility, recognizability, and communication efficiency. This study addresses the need to examine the impact of visual consistency in website interface design on city brand perception and to identify strategies for optimizing digital brand communication. The research has three objectives: ①classify City of Design official websites and sub-sites based on visual consistency and conduct in-depth analysis; ②empirically examine the impact of interface visual consistency on users’ perceptions of city brand image; and ③propose interface optimization strategies for digital branding. To achieve these aims, this study adopts qualitative case analysis as the primary methodological strategy, supported by theoretical and empirical evidence. Empirical research selects “City of Design” official websites within UCCN and categorizes them into high, medium, and low visual consistency groups. Representative cases from each group are then used for user studies employing mixed methods, including standardized questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Based on Keller’s Customer-Based Brand Equity model (CBBE, 1993), indicators of brand cognition, preference, and behavioral intention are constructed. Findings demonstrate that visual consistency critically shapes users’ perceptions of city brand identity, enhancing trust, cultural recognition, and engagement. The study extends VIS research from the corporate domain to digital city branding, proposes a framework for evaluating visual consistency in official city websites, and provides strategic guidance for Cities of Design and other creative cities in digital brand construction.

Keywords: City Brand Image, Visual Identity System (VIS), Visual Consistency, City Official Website, User Experience (UX), Creative Cities Network (UCCN)

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1007628