Day by day, cities are competing with each other to attract tourists, students, businesses, investors and new residents. Consequently, they are increasingly adopting marketing approaches resulting in what is commonly known as city marketing.
City marketing is one of the tools used by public and private institutions to improve the city’s competitiveness. It identifies the needs, a range of products and urban services, and the stimuli that encourages different customers to use what the city offers.
City marketing is essential to create the image of a city.
There are cities that leave their mark. We remember them for its beauty, values and people. For example, think about Paris and its “White Night.” This cultural initiative consisted of making a free, overnight artistic journey where the city was illuminated. Paris positioned the lights of its museums and galleries to light up the night. It’s great success has spread to other major cities throughout the world.
Other cities like London have used city marketing as an element of integration, making cultural diversity an asset, while other cities, like Dubai, created an economic center inviting luxury tourism.
The strategy behind “City branding” logos is another proof of the constant competition between cities. One of the most famous corresponds to New York with its, “I Love New York” slogan that emerged in 1977 after a campaign to promote tourism. After the attack of 9/11, I Love New York also was adapted to the city’s new reality: “I Love New York More Than Ever.”
These are a few examples of how marketing succeeds in giving cities greater value. Having a defined and developed city image can provide cultural significance, a greater identity for citizens, and a greater knowledge of urban supply that attracts business opportunities – investment, cultural and sporting events, tourism and new residents.
Strategic planning is necessary to develop a city marketing plan. It is crucial to align the different urban actors and citizens in a common direction.
At Visibility Marketing Inc., we understand that it is essential to have institutions with tools capable of correctly defining which city values are essential to promote and encourage citizens’ commitment and participation.
City Marketing and City Branding are especially important today, in a globalized world, where new technologies can bring us from thousands of miles to to any destination we choose, without leaving home.
By: Daniel Fumero Lázaro
Whether or not you have a successful marketing campaign depends largely on the strategy, its execution and the resources used. Every year, big firms invest many resources in marketing and communication campaigns to promote its products and services. At the same time, small companies fight to position themselves on the market, devoting time and resources to attract new clients.
Working as
Mergers and acquisitions, overhauling ineffective customer engagement models, and enterprise-wide Information Technology deployments will guarantee disruptive change within any organization. Invariably the CEO declares success to shareholders when the merger is complete. The Chief Operations Officer salivates over the integration of newly developed business processes that will usher in business efficiency. Chief Information Officers obtain buy-in from fellow C-Level colleagues that cloud computing and managed services will better serve internal and external customers.
Asking people, businesses, or any institution to do anything for altruistic reasons hardly ever works. It then begs to ask why environmental stewardship campaigns are often reduced to “feel good” narratives that play on our social consciousness. Feeling good is temporary, but connecting to core values is sustainable. We need more sustainable approaches to environmental sustainability.
a major organization, I conducted a workshop about personal branding. What was most interesting, is that this organization wanted its employees to have personal websites, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook accounts. What its leadership realizes is that competition for excellent people is everywhere, even within its own walls. So, how do you stand out among your peers at your work place?
In the midst of racial tension in Atlanta, Georgia during the 1960s, civic and business leaders declared Atlanta “the city too busy to hate.” Although Jim Crow policies were the law of the land, black and white visionary leaders understood that economic and social exclusion were antithetical to long-term regional growth.
The public relations world has changed dramatically since I entered the field. The tactics practitioners use have moved to a new frontier. The word “content marketing” didn’t even exist then. Now, it’s one of the best ways to communicate to vast audiences.