Cities all over the world face the challenges of globalisation and other trends in environmental, economic and cultural developments. Among these trends, there is increased competition among cities. As a result, cities seek to differentiate themselves and strive to create a positive image which can be used for promotional purposes. City authorities are fully aware of the fact that in order to make a place attractive, the needs of tourists, investors, and - first and foremost - inhabitants, must be equally catered for. Thus, the objective of this paper is to identify patterns in the selection of city identity markers by municipal governments of Poland's Podlaskie Voivodeship and to investigate the ways in which they are used for image management. Moreover, the authors discuss recommendations for improvements and review the innovations implemented by municipal self-governments.