Introduction to the Practice of City Branding

The chapters in Part II describe, analyze and critique the city branding practices of 18 cities across the world. These cities have been selected as cases because of their geographic, economic and cultural heterogeneity. A holistic understanding of city branding requires such an examination of diversity rather than a limited focus on any one particular country or continent. The cases in Part II feature cities that range in size from Wollongong with its population of 200,000 to the immense megalopolises of Seoul, Chongqing and Tokyo. The case cities are spread throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, Australasia, and North and South America. Despite their differences, a number of common issues can be detected in the city branding activities conducted by these cities, as follows: addressing the challenges that city brands face; clarifying identity and image; the importance of tangible evidence; hosting events; partnership working; creativity, innovation and boldness; and repositioning the city brand. These issues are discussed in the sections below.