Cherkasova Violetta Y.

A recognized brand is one of the key marketing strategy elements of any company. High-quality branding provides for sustainable consumer loyalty and partner trust. However, many companies underestimate this aspect. The main research issue is the contradiction between the desire of the “Vodokanal” company to create a positive brand for its consumers and the negative company image developed in Ekaterinburg. The scientific objective is to analyze the existing brand of the “Vodokanal” company, its particular strengths and weaknesses. The article features the results of a sociological research through a phone survey method (400 Ekaterinburg residents have been interviewed). The associations method allowed to introduce an element of qualitative research into the survey. The obtained data analysis made it possible to assess the company's popularity and to identify the existing problems with water supply and interaction with the “Vodokanal” MUE and to focus on the main associations with the company's brand. The resulting conclusions have been made on the need to adjust the company's brand policy. Currently the company lacks publicity, so the associations are mostly negative. Besides, the majority of respondents are dissatisfied with the quality of provided services. The company should rely on and develop its advantages, such as reliability, power, large scale, long-term existence in the market - and shift the focus to the younger generation, who has no negative attitude towards the “Vodokanal” company. It is also necessary to increase the information component of the company's activities, as the analysis results of the website, Internet and media activity have also been negative.

he image of Ekaterinburg and promote it to the key target audiences. The article considers tools and forms of gastrodiplomacy to promote the image of the city of Ekaterinburg and the way they can be involved in the current public relations campaigns arranged by both state and non-governmental actors. The city of Ekaterinburg plays an important role in global transformation and can become a model for other cities and regions in Russia and beyond in the field of its image promotion. Under aggravation of many forms of relations between countries, new forms of management and development of the image of territories and cities can be developed. This research proposes to use the methodology and tools of gastrodiplomacy to develop the image of a particular territory.
Materials and methods. An important theoretical and practical task is to search for a well-developed form and trialed methodology at the level of regulatory or public strategic documents in the field of promoting the image of the city of Ekaterinburg using gastrodiplomacy tools, technologies involving local manufacturers, local gastronomy, etc. Following this, it is important to substantiate, focusing on the general methodological foundations of gastrodiplomacy implementation, the potential for the city image development using its gastronomic (culinary) traditions and products, local brands, etc. In this connection, the research goal is to provide grounds for the potential of gastrodiplomacy tools management to enhance the image of Ekaterinburg and promote it to the key target audiences. To achieve this goal, the authors conducted their own sociological research (expert interviews with representatives of the scientific community, power bodies, representatives of Ekaterinburg public catering sector, and a survey of the city residents and guests in April-May 2023). The authors also used the results of the secondary sociological research on opportunities for the catering sector development and the specifics of the image of Ekaterinburg.
Results and discussion. The obtained results revealed the key features of building the image of the territory through promoting its gastronomic specifics and confirmed the fact that to develop the image of the city of Ekaterinburg, the gastrodiplomacy tools can well be used, which will contribute to the promotion of the territory through its gastronomic potential.

Purpose. Study of the levels of information interaction necessary for effective communication of public authorities with the population. Methods. The ideological, tactical and technological levels of information interaction are analyzed on the basis of the analysis of regulatory legal documents and expert survey data. Results. Based on the analysis of the existing concept of information policy, the limitations of this normative legal act are revealed. Recommendations on the content and implementation of the information policy of the public authorities have been developed. The key problems of modern PR departments of the public authorities, the desirable position of the PR department in the structure of the authority are revealed. The results of an expert survey of employees of the press services of authorities are analyzed. Target audiences, communication channels and criteria for the effectiveness of the press service are considered. The role of information technologies in the work of modern authorities is investigated.Scientific novelty. Scientific novelty consists in the allocation of three levels of information interaction of public authorities with the population: ideological, tactical and technological.