Mapping Citizens’ Mental Models of the Tehran Municipality Brand: A ZMET Metaphorical Methodology Approach

This study aimed to map Tehran citizens’ perceptions of the Tehran Municipality brand, addressing the gap between its claimed image and lived experience. Using the Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique (ZMET), in‑depth interviews with 14 citizens were analyzed until theoretical saturation. The analysis identified five key dimensions: (1) Human Dignity and Communicative Dynamics (lack of two‑way dialogue), (2) Power Structure and Control (centralization, inefficient bureaucracy), (3) Phenomenology of Urban Life (tension between environmental friction and anchors of tranquility), (4) Value and Ethical System (ambiguous identity, service inequity), and (5) Physical and Operational Functions (reactive management, infrastructural decay). These dimensions were embodied in metaphors such as “Eternal Construction Site,” “Gray Labyrinth,” “Silent Street‑Sweeper,” and “Emergency‑Room Doctor.” The findings reveal a dual brand image—relative efficiency in physical services versus profound inefficacy in communication and participation. The study underscores the need to transform branding into a strategic framework, enhance genuine participation, rebuild narratives based on lived experience, and improve basic services to shift the municipality‑citizen relationship from a ruler‑subject to a partner‑citizen paradigm.