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How important is branding in making a successful city? In advance of a conference by the European cities network, Eurocities 2010, its president, Jozias van Aartsen offers some views What makes a city successful? And how does a city sustain that success? These are fundamental questions which face city mayors as we weather the recession and face intensifying global competition. The ingredients of a city's success are manifold – a thriving economy, a cohesive community, a growing population, an attractive environment, and well-managed public services, for example. But these alone are not enough. Enduring success also requires a clear ‘sense of place', a positive reputation, and a strong identity. A city's identity, of course, is shaped by its history, its past. Merchant cities, trading ports, industrial cities, centres of government, learning, religion – all have distinct history and character. And we are lucky in Europe to have a rich cultural history embodied in the European model of urban development. But identity is also about the future – where the city is going, and what its role will be. That requires vision, and vision demands leadership. During the current recession, cities which have made use of the good years to reinvent themselves and build a strong identity are more confident of weathering the crisis than cities that have yet to reposition their economic role and reputation. The really successful cities are those whose leaders have built on their identity to develop a strategic vision for the future, a clear sense of direction and ambition. Articulating that vision – ‘walking the talk' – is a nowadays a key dimension of city leadership. Mayors have to be ambassadors and figureheads. They tell a story, not just about where their city has come from and what makes it special, but also about where it is going, expressing their vision of its future role and identity. It's a story which needs to be told to residents and businesses, and also to the world, to potential investors and visitors. Many cities are also using tools such as branding and marketing to help re-position their reputation and image. But beware of the notion that all that needs to be done is to invent a logo and find a big advertising budget. In the run-up to our Zaragoza conference, some 30 cities have been using the Eurocities network to exchange their experience of city branding and marketing. The city of Lyon in France, famous for its ‘Only Lyon' brand, has convened this work. The outcome will be a good practice guide which will help cities learn from the successes, and the mistakes, of their peers. Marketing begins not with a logo and a strapline but by acquiring a better understanding of your product – in this case, your city – and its existing reputation. What functions can my city perform? What are its constraints? Can I find a niche role for my city? How can I distil and define my city's unique selling point? Market research is, therefore, an important first step in understanding important aspects of the current reality, that is, the ‘received wisdom' about your city. Reputation goes alongside the harder facts about economic structure and performance, demographics, skills, and living costs. To be at all plausible, the future vision for the city has to have credible roots in its past and current identity. So, branding and marketing have a part to play in convincing citizens, business people and the outside world – potential investors and visitors, for example. But it is only one tool in the toolbox. We can create the myth, but the myth will only become reality if the hard work of leading and delivering real material change in the city's economic, physical and social structure can been made. To realise such a vision requires serious investment – investment by the city itself in economic development, in its skills base, often also in infrastructure and public space, as well as in cultural facilities and the environment. This, in turn, generates the ‘virtuous circle' of investment by the private sector in business, employment and development. At our annual conference in Zaragoza we will be hearing how different city mayors have lead the reinvention of their cities and, in particular, the relationship they have found between changing the reality and changing the myth. This is particularly appropriate because Zaragoza itself – with a new high-speed train, EXPO 2008, and significant economic change – has a great story to tell. From the background of its own experience, Zaragoza will focus on how building this identity, and using city branding and marketing can reinforce strategic plans for growth and prosperity by attracting investment, trade, talent and tourism. Learning from each other in this way is one of the many benefits of cities working together internationally. The competition for investment, influence and resources is constant. All successful mayors recognise that to be successful, their city needs to look outward, to build its profile and international reputation. And that is more important than ever in times of economic difficulty. Jozias van Aartsen is president of Eurocities and mayor of The Hague, Netherlands. Eurocities is the network of Europe's most important cities, and its annual conference, Eurocities 2010, will be held in Zaragoza, Spain, from 3 to 5 November under the theme Successful cities – vision and identity

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WHITEHALL

Stamping a city's brand

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