EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - City branding: an effective assertion of identity or a transitory marketing trick?

City branding: an effective assertion of identity or a transitory marketing trick?

Introduction

‘City branding: an effective assertion of identity or a transitory marketing trick?’ uses contemporary developments in marketing theory and practice to suggest how product branding can be transformed into city branding as a powerful image-building strategy. It defines city branding as it is currently understood by city administrators. City branding's contemporary use is examined so that a framework for an effective place branding strategy can be constructed.

Description

Cities throughout Europe are increasingly importing the concept and techniques of product branding for use within place marketing, in pursuit of wider urban management goals, especially within the new conditions created by European integration. Cities are more and more involved in global competition for visitors, talent and private investments. As a result, city branding is now seen as a strategic activity aimed at reaching various economic, political and socio-psychological objectives. City branding seeks to change the ways in which a city is perceived by specified user groups in order to make them act in favour of the city’s present circumstances and future needs.

The paper compares the similarities and differences between ‘product branding’ and ‘city branding’ or ‘place branding’, in order to determine the added value of city branding: is it an effective assertion of identity or a transitory marketing trick?

Conclusions

Place branding is possible: it is, and has been, practiced consciously and unconsciously for as long as cities have competed with each other for trade, populations, wealth, power and prestige.
People encounter places through perceptions and images. Managing the place brand is an attempt to influence and treat those perceptions and images in a way that is deemed favourable to the present circumstances and future needs of a place.
Places are not products, governments are not producers and users are not costumers. Places have more varied ‘users’, ‘owners’ and ‘governors’ than commercial corporations do. Not only are the products more varied, so are the goals of the users and the utilities of the consumers. Because of this, sufficient weight must be given to different stakeholders for a city branding effort to be successful.
It is necessary to recognise the fact that place branding is distinctive from product branding. If this is recognised, city branding can become a valid and effective form of urban management.

Contact info

Urban and Regional Studies Institute, University of Groningen
Mr Mihalis Kavaratzis (Researcher), tel. +31 50 363 8289

Publication date

01/03/2005

Researcher

M. Kavaratzis and G.J. Ashworth

Links

Visit the Urban and Regional Studies Institute website

Download 'City branding: an effective assertion of identity or a transitory marketing trick?' (PDF, Eng, 140 KB)

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy > Economy knowledge & employment > Urban economy

Keywords

Competitiveness