Search

The branding of cities through their historical and cultural assets has become a pivotal strategy in urban development and tourism. This study focuses on Erbil Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its potential as a brand for Erbil, a city with a rich historical backdrop and flourishing urban landscape. The study aimed to explore the perceptions of Erbil's residents regarding the cultural significance of the Citadel and its potential as a city brand. A mixed-method survey questionnaire was conducted, collecting data from around 440 residents through both manual distribution around the Citadel and an online platform. The findings were analyzed using SPSS 23 to provide both descriptive and inferential statistical insights. The findings show that locals are well aware of the Citadel's significance as a significant historical and cultural symbol of the city. The vast majority of participants acknowledged its unique visual attributes and their representation of the city's cultural and historical identity. Additionally, the results showed that citizens' perceptions of the Citadel as a good component of city branding were positively correlated with their level of cultural awareness. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on city branding and heritage sites by providing empirical evidence on the impact of residents' cultural awareness on their perceptions of heritage sites as city brands. The results highlight how crucial cultural education and community involvement are to maximizing the branding potential of historic locations. Policymakers and urban planners may find the findings of the study useful in utilizing Erbil Citadel's historical relevance to strengthen Erbil's brand identity internationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the symbiotic relationship between placemaking and the authenticity of traditional architecture in the realm of city branding, using Surakarta City in Indonesia as a pivotal case study. It posits that the conscious integration of placemaking initiatives with the preservation and celebration of traditional architectural authenticity can significantly amplify any city's brand identity, rendering it distinct and resonant on the global scale. Surakarta, with its rich cultural heritage and commitment to preserving Javanese architectural motifs, exemplifies how traditional elements can coalesce with contemporary urban development strategies to foster a sense of place and community identity. Through a qualitative analysis of Surakarta's urban planning and community engagement practices, this study underscores the transformative impact of authentic architectural preservation in placemaking processes. The findings suggest that such an approach not only enhances the aesthetic and cultural landscape of cities but also strengthens their branding, attracting tourism and investment by offering a unique narrative. The paper concludes with strategic recommendations for urban policymakers and planners, advocating for a balanced integration of cultural authenticity and innovative place-making to achieve sustainable and impactful city branding. This study contributes to the broader discourse on urban development, highlighting the indispensable role of architectural authenticity in crafting compelling city narratives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the symbiotic relationship between placemaking and the authenticity of traditional architecture in the realm of city branding, using Surakarta City in Indonesia as a pivotal case study. It posits that the conscious integration of placemaking initiatives with the preservation and celebration of traditional architectural authenticity can significantly amplify any city’s brand identity, rendering it distinct and resonant on the global scale. Surakarta, with its rich cultural heritage and commitment to preserving Javanese architectural motifs, exemplifies how traditional elements can coalesce with contemporary urban development strategies to foster a sense of place and community identity. Through a qualitative analysis of Surakarta’s urban planning and community engagement practices, this study underscores the transformative impact of authentic architectural preservation in placemaking processes. The findings suggest that such an approach not only enhances the aesthetic and cultural landscape of cities but also strengthens their branding, attracting tourism and investment by offering a unique narrative. The paper concludes with strategic recommendations for urban policymakers and planners, advocating for a balanced integration of cultural authenticity and innovative placemaking to achieve sustainable and impactful city branding. This study contributes to the broader discourse on urban development, highlighting the indispensable role of architectural authenticity in crafting compelling city narratives.

Our study refers to what the communication of city networks looks like regarding mentions and frames and if the digital communication activities of city networks could primarily serve as collaborative diplomacy of governance or are motivated by self-interests such as city branding. Our theoretical frame integrates Castells' (2010, 2009) networked society and communication power and combines various concepts from the public (digital) diplomacy, public relations, and strategic communication. In a semantic network analysis of Tweets, we analysed the communication strategies of three city networks according to their digital content (n = 47,226) and more specifically each network's top 50 hashtags and mentions therein. We find that city networks use three different Twitter communication strategies. We propose a model describing topic-, city/mayor-, and hybrid-oriented strategies. The analysis of the three city groups undertaken here has extended our knowledge of global urban governance communication strategies in burgeoning city diplomacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the Wellywood Romantic Comedy series (2015-2016) by New Zealand author Kate O’Keeffe as localized versions of the global chick-lit format. The novels filter prototypical concerns of the genre through a specific cultural nationalist lens and explore questions of national identity through their unique urban setting. I read the novels in the context of the city-branding initiatives aimed at consolidating New Zealand’s capital, Wellington, as a creative city. I also argue that the novels construct their protagonists as prototypical Kiwi heroines who confront their problems displaying prototypical Kiwi values like ingenuity, resourcefulness and pragmatism. Whereas the Wellington setting serves to interrogate the dominance of western chick-lit mega-cities, the discussion of local identity predicaments reveals exciting thematic expansions of the original formula. Yet, the novels’ potential to innovate is limited because both the urban setting and the identity predicaments of the characters reinforce mainstream visions of the city and the country’s hegemonic cultural narratives.

Urban marketing with culture-led urban development has a growing importance for contemporary cities. In a global competition, cities must stand out and attract tourism, investment, and cultural activities. Consequently, their image should be constantly improved. City branding provides strategies for enhancing a city's public image – thus, becoming more and more attractive. Events and festivals, like popular music festivals, offer valuable opportunities for promoting cities and boosting tourism. The aim of this research is to explore the potential of music festivals in building city image and integrating it into the broader branding processes. The results are based on semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire survey. The findings support the hypothesis that festivals can significantly raise destination awareness, and shape image, and through them, a wider audience can be reached. Festival uniqueness and appropriate venue choices facilitate seamless integration into the host city 's tourism – thus decision-makers should pay attention to this issue and facilitate coordination between stakeholders.

This study examines the extent to which the "Serambi Nusantara" city branding influences tourists' visiting interest and decision-making to visit Penajam Paser Utara. A sample of 400 respondents will be randomly selected using the Slovenian method to determine the sample size, and they will participate in a survey using a structured questionnaire. The findings of this research are expected to provide significant insights into the effectiveness of city branding in influencing tourist behavior and its relevance for developing improved tourism strategies in the region. The analysis results indicate that the city branding significantly affects tourists' visit interest and visit decisions with a contribution of 74.7% and 63.7%, respectively, while visit interest itself significantly influences visit decisions. This research can inform tourism marketing strategies and city branding initiatives aimed at boosting tourism in areas that may possess unique characteristics and challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban identity is gaining increasing attention across different research disciplines. However, there is no consensus as to how this concept can be integrated into planning theory, because every discipline has diverse concepts of urban identity, which are often included in planning theory without clarity. For example, environmental psychology literature and the social sciences have defined urban identity as human or social identity, while architecture and urban design characterize it as the urban/city or architectural identity. Therefore, this paper provides a conceptual framework for applying urban identity in planning theory and practice. This paper used the literature review method by synthesizing several relevant and reliable sources, particularly in planning, architecture, environmental psychology, social science, and geography. The result is an explanation of three concepts of urban identity, which are the 'identity of urban,' 'identity in urban,' and 'identity for urban'. The identity of urban helps planners to design functional and characteristic cities. Meanwhile, identity in urban helps planners to achieve the humanist aspect of a city and social justice; and identity for urban helps planners to advance a city's economy and attract investors and tourists. These concepts are interrelated and can be integrated to support the sustainability of cities and their citizens, by achieving harmony between the population's need for orientation and identification, the function and aesthetics of the city, and the city's attractiveness to visitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Letter design plays a crucial role in establishing city branding. This letter is a representation of the appearance and nature of the city. The objective of this research is to find out how to design letters from branding in several cities worldwide. This research is vital and timely, as effective city branding relies on visual design elements, including typography. This study aims to determine the number of cities that apply branding using unique letter shapes. Additionally, it also aims to see the application of city-specific fonts in branding and determine their effect on the visual strength of branding. The study employs the Contextual Design method, using the Requirements and solutions to define and Validate Concepts and Processes. The results of this study are the letter designs used in city branding in several places in the world. These findings serve as valuable references for designers and offer insights into societal perceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article starts from the concept of Neo-regionalism with comparison between the Neo-liberalism and China's socialist marketized regime, holding that city branding is gradually regionalized from urban scale. By analyzing the politico-economic essence of city branding, which is the use of brands to guide spatial value differentiation, this article combines with the conceptual framework of city diplomacy from the West and articulates China's regionalized city branding as brand mobility. It takes the cross-border enclave industrial park (Zhangjiang Yangtze River Delta Hi-tech City) at the Shanghai Zhejiang provincial boundary as a case, adopting semi-structural interview and context analysis as prime methods, to analyze the process of utilizing the brand "Shanghai Zhangjiang" (specifically a special economic zone in China) in the industrial park, specifically achieving cross-boundary development through localized promotion, appropriation, and re-localization. Through empirical studies, this article draws the conclusion that China's city branding is influenced by top-down dictates, which is not only rooted in localized locus of space production but could be appropriated to elsewhere through brand mobility as well. Based on this, the article proposes that the regionalization of city branding in the Chinese context is different from the negotiation of local benefits in terms of "diplomatic relations", where brands are exposed by institutional mobility to achieve regional integration by brand of places. It concludes that regional branding integration demonstrates the outcome of urban political, economic, cultural and spatial interweaving relations based upon adequate flow of spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores typographic placemaking by comparing the design and public launch of two city fonts: TilburgsAns (2016) and Dubai Font (2017). Building on recent work on semiotic technology and graphic ideology, the authors examine how these fonts' visual features and the promotional discourses surrounding their launch are utilized for placemaking, and how this is facilitated and constrained by technology and ideology. The results show that the two projects of typographic placemaking build on a similar repertoire of semiotic technology, but make different use of it. The authors sustain that this difference is explained by the political aims of the two projects, on the one hand, and their economic and organizational scale, on the other. A postcolonial perspective further underlines their geopolitically and historically different preconditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today cities in national and global competition focus on creativity. Although the creative city concept was invented by Gunnar Törnqvist in 1983, today the dominant concept is creative class articulated by Richard Florida in 2004. Cities are engaged to strengthen their social and cultural environment in the direction indicated in the works by Törnqvist, Peter Hall, Charles Landry, and Florida, and take effort to embed their fame as creative cities to their city branding. This let them communicate a creative image and develop an emotional bond to this image among larger social groups of tourists, employees and beyond. Consequently, their position in competition is improving. The emergence of creativity basically changed the characteristics of city competition since the turn of the millennia, cities – stakeholders in particular – focused on investment and infrastructure development beforehand. As the concept of the creative city already stabilized itself in worldwide city development and branding a new turn might come, and the market of good stories is emerging in city communication which can dim or even overwrite the importance of creativity. While good stories were always part of marketing, and contributed to city planning since the 1980s, their growing importance in city branding can reach a hypothetical point where a new market level develops, and a narrative turn occurs. In such cases, cities themselves carry good stories and the represented virtual reality creates a new market, where creativity will be only one among other stories. In this study we sketch up the three eras of branding in city competition, focusing on the emerging and fading role of creativity.

This research explores the role of live music infrastructure and music cultural identity in building a city’s brand through a multiple case study comparing the cities of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Montreal, Canada. We conducted 60 interviews and observed 35 live music events in cities known for their strong live music traditions. The results show a relationship between live music infrastructure and identity that affects city branding. Rio’s music identity has developed from grassroots, while Montreal’s is shaped by government-funded efforts. Our findings suggest that a favorable infrastructure and environment can contribute to developing a city’s identity over time. Our study also highlights that when a city’s musical identity is strong, live music can survive in the city’s neighborhoods despite poor infrastructure. We discuss implications for academics, urban planners, and city branding professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recognizing the vital role of a positive city image in attracting stakeholders, urban officials are increasingly implementing cultural branding strategies to establish and highlight their city's distinct character. Culture, essential in urban development, shapes identity and local economy, encouraging social cohesion and sustainability. According to existing research, strategies for branding places—and cities in particular—through arts and culture include associating them with a famous personality (such as Barcelona's perceived connection with Gaudi), flagship buildings (like Paris with the Eiffel Tower) and hallmark events (as exemplified by Cannes and its Film Festival). The European Capital of Culture awarded annually by the European Union, which associates a city with a good cultural reputation, was a favorable starting point for this research. Fourteen EcoC Bidbooks brought forward by candidate cities bidding for the title within the 2020–2026 time frame were analyzed in order to investigate essential components of city branding. The study delves into aspects such as perceived image of European Capital of Culture candidates, problems behind this perceived image and ideal city image, revealing recurrent themes that define cultural European cities today. In addition, the research identifies new strategies that complete Ashworth's list (such as culture tailored to a particular natural environment, alternative spaces turned into culture hubs, artistic transportation, historical moments and movements, culture gamification, grassroots culture, culture thematization, highlighting the cultures of minorities, cultural fusions and embracing local folklore and mythical creatures). This helps bridge a gap in the specialized literature on cultural place branding. The study's originality extends to the analysis of Ecoc Bidbooks as a sum of cultural branding strategies proposed by the candidate cities. Each Bidbook is in fact a cultural vision of the city under optimum financial circumstances, thereby carrying a significant weight in the realm of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban marketing with culture-led urban development has a growing importance for contemporary cities. In a global competition, cities must stand out and attract tourism, investment, and cultural activities. Consequently, their image should be constantly improved. City branding provides strategies for enhancing a city's public image – thus, becoming more and more attractive. Events and festivals, like popular music festivals, offer valuable opportunities for promoting cities and boosting tourism. The aim of this research is to explore the potential of music festivals in building city image and integrating it into the broader branding processes. The results are based on semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire survey. The findings support the hypothesis that festivals can significantly raise destination awareness, and shape image, and through them, a wider audience can be reached. Festival uniqueness and appropriate venue choices facilitate seamless integration into the host city 's tourism – thus decision-makers should pay attention to this issue and facilitate coordination between stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we propose an analysis of the intangible heritagization of elements in urban settings as it relates to the promotion of a city brand, within the context of a fast rise of urban planning models with a strong emphasis on the production of corporate branding. We will focus specifically on the processes leading up to the nomination of intangible heritage elements for UNESCO listing and their relationship with the economy-culture-leisure triad, concretely in the cases of the Fallas festivities in Valencia, and filete porteño in Buenos Aires. Building from the Spanish and the Argentinian cases, we discuss how intangible heritage policies are increasingly becoming an essential part of the development of city branding, insofar as they help to promote the local identity and image, legitimized by the UNESCO label. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Portuguese city of Amadora hosts the first national registry of an immigrant Intangible Cultural Heritage to this day: the Kola San Jon celebration in the self-built neighbourhood of Alto da Cova da Moura. Many other practices, events, manifestations, and arts could be recognised as immigrant cultural heritage in this city, yet only a few are indeed recognised and supported by the municipality. Through the analysis of four 'vignettes', I suggest that municipalities shape a soft policy for immigrant integration by harnessing such apolitical, folklore traditions celebrated by the various immigrant groups present in the city as part of its city branding strategy and policy internationalisation. In other words, cultural heritage is exploited to serve purposes other than communal tradition, to promote the city's profile. To that aim, this article examines local migrant cultural heritage policies in relation to urban development using the concept of 'intercultural heritage' as a critique. By intercultural heritage, I mean heritage practices that are adopted by public institutions to rebrand and legitimise their immigration agenda in cities with a very heterogenous demographic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing competition between cities has led to the acceleration of branding efforts and to be treated as a commodity. In order to create a strong city brand, it is important to analyze the city well and shape all city components in a symbolic way. This is recognized as a challenging and costly process in dynamic, complex and multifaceted cities. Urban sustainability assessment tools allow cities to be addressed in a systematic, holistic and controlled manner. At the same time, it allows to reach a city that has adopted the principles of sustainable development and is resistant to climate change with an objective approach. Many urban sustainability assessment tools such as LEED, BREEAM, DGNB have been developed around the world. One of these assessment tools is YeS-TR, which has been developed in our country. Within the scope of this study, the effects of YeS-TR urban sustainability assessment tool on city branding are examined.

Cities in Indonesia are starting to compete to create attractive branding. City branding is used to strengthen a good image and differentiate it from other cities. This research examines how the city of Bandung reviews or redesigns city branding so that it is better able to adapt to the situations and conditions faced by the city. The research protocol was used as a basis for conducting in-depth interviews with the resource persons, and FGD activities with seven key informants, which consisted of; education experts, the local government of Bandung city, representatives from the culinary industry sector, humanists, smart city experts in Bandung city, representatives from creative industry players, and representatives from the hospitality sector related to accommodation and transportation.

Public diplomacy is an international political communication activity used by countries to achieve political objectives abroad and establish positive relationships with foreign publics. There are four types of public diplomacy: cultural, media, branding, and niche. Methodology: Following the SALSA framework and the PRISMA statement's four-phase flow diagram, this paper seeks to answer the following research questions: How has the production of academic literature about Latin American public diplomacy evolved? What are the characteristics of the production country by country? What characterizes such production according to the type of public diplomacy it is focused on? The systematic review of the academic literature on Latin American public diplomacy resulted in a sample of 95 items published in databases such as Scopus, Science Direct, SpringerLink, ProQuest One Academic, Jstor, and DOAJ. Results: Academic publications on Latin American public diplomacy emerged in 2007 and have grown consistently since 2016. The primary focus has been on Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia, with Brazil and Colombia being the primary editors of journals publishing articles on the topic. Studies on Brazil and branding constitute a significant portion of the research, representing 28% and 60% of the sample, respectively. Conclusions: Academic production about Latin American public diplomacy begins later than that focused on other parts of the world, consistent with its later practice in the region. The dominant powers have the leading role. Branding focused on promoting tourism, investment, and exports, is the type of public diplomacy generating the most interest, to the detriment of strategies with more political weight such as media diplomacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Journal of Management Academy is the property of Uluslararasi Yonetim Akademisi Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This research examined the role of the infrastructure and city element of Lasem, which does not merely form the appearance of the city but also shapes its identity. The distinctive architectural element reflects its richness of culture of a hundred years of transactional life of the area, whereas the infrastructure – the streets, greenery and rivers – is the enabler of this process. The ancient river transported goods while at the same time delivering its technique and exchange of creativity between the island and the continents. A hundred years later, the same infrastructure is used for the path used for rituals where it becomes a highway. The inhabitants, from multiple cultures, adapted the situation by still carrying out the procession along the same path. Even though several efforts to minimize the risk have been made, it would be better if urban policy would consider this aspect.Several methods were used in this research. Firstly, a case study method used to examine the distinctiveness of Lasem; secondly, the diachronic method has been applied to show the transformation of the city.The research results show that Lasem, with its ancient pattern of infrastructure, has become a home of diverse religions and sub-ethnicities. The infrastructure requires better consideration, due to its bearing the ancient proof of a living civilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Economic & Administrative Approach (JEAA) is the property of Journal of Economic & Administrative Approach (JEAA) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper proposes a new model of urban security for city branding in Indonesia, which aims to address the gap in city branding indices lacking safety and security factors. The proposed model, the Urban Defense Index (UDI), measures a region's ability to manage risks and handle security threats in urban areas. The UDI is calculated based on three sub-indices: Threats-Disruptions-Obstacles-Challenges (TDOC), Posture, and Stability, which use objective and subjective measurements. A case study uses the proposed model to measure five Kalimantan cities' urban defense readiness levels. The study found that Stability, Posture, and TDOC are essential factors in determining the level of urban defense readiness in the cities. Future research can address the limitations of the UDI model proposed in this study and expand the UDI model to include other factors that affect urban security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing emphasis on urban management has driven a trend toward city branding to enhance the city attractiveness. This study investigates the influence of city branding on the city’s brand identity and brand image, and tourists’ visiting decision. This study was done in a quantitative approach. The data was collected by distributing online questionnaire, targeting visitors of Yogyakarta city. A total of 216 respondents participated in this study, obtained using a purposive sampling method. The data was analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) in AMOS 21.0. The results show that the city branding directly influences the brand identity and visiting decision, but does not directly influence the brand image. Furthermore, the brand identity has a positive, significant and direct influence on the brand image and visiting decision. The brand identity mediates the influence of city branding on the visiting decision. The brand identity also mediates the influence of city branding on the brand image. Lastly, the brand image mediates the influence of brand identity on the visiting decision. JEL: M30, M31, M39.

Las ferias comerciales pueden ayudar a las ciudades a diferenciarse porque ofrecen importantes posibilidades respecto a la relación, la promoción y el posicionamiento de la marca del territorio (de San Eugenio Vela & Jiménez Morales, 2009). No obstante, la bibliografía actual aporta escasos artículos sobre la influencia de estos eventos en la marca de la ciudad (Kowalik, 2012). El objetivo general de esta publicación es analizar la coordinación entre los responsables municipales y los organizadores de ferias en la estrategia de city branding; comparando las ciudades de Barcelona y Milán. Los objetivos específicos son: a) conocer la estrategia de city branding de ambas ciudades; b) confirmar si los organizadores la conocen, así como sus objetivos; c) identificar si existe colaboración entre ellos para alcanzarlos y, finalmente, d) compartir recomendaciones gracias al análisis del modelo de gestión de cada ciudad. La metodología empleada parte desde un enfoque cualitativo y ha consistido, en primer lugar, en entrevistas en profundidad con el ayuntamiento y los actores más relevantes de estas ciudades. En segundo término, se han articulado encuestas online para conocer la opinión de los organizadores feriales que desarrollan su actividad en estas urbes.

In this paper, for the visual image shaping of folk culture elements in city branding, the intelligent extraction technology of digital image with image pre-processing, color space conversion, and color extraction as the three core modules is proposed. In terms of image preprocessing, spatial domain filtering is used as a means to explore the two main algorithms of linear filtering and nonlinear filtering, and in the color space conversion module, the RGB color space is converted to the CIE Lab color space with the help of CIE XYZ color. The color map extraction module uses Python language to construct the color collocation relationship network using K-means and color adjacency matrix visualization. Finally, the quantitative experiment on the effect of the city brand visual image that integrates the elements of folk culture is carried out, and 65 city brand visual image samples are quantitatively analyzed, while the AMOS model is applied to test the city brand visual image.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the variable City branding and Tourist Visit Interest who have synchronized with the triple helix concept that runs in tourism in Banyuwangi district. City branding can be one way to increase Tourist Interest. The triple helix concept that was built connects these two variables because there are many stakeholders whose roles were affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Banyuwangi District Government is running a city branding program as an effort to restore the various pillars built in to Triple Helix Model. The method used is a mixed-methods type embedded design. For quantitative data analysis using SEM-PLS with a sample of 37 people. Then, to interpret the results, a qualitative descriptive analysis is needed through the results of focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with business actors and academics as part of the triple helix. The study indicates that the relationship between branding image and tourist interest has a latent variability of 42.0% in the structural model test results. This variable relationship in the Banyuwangi Rebound program has with the triple helix concept, especially in the business sector and academics in practice during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Place branding plays an important role in place development policies and strategies. Considering that the nature of qualitative development of urban environments is based on a contextoriented approach, place branding with a this approach can be used as an effective tool and method for the development of historical and cultural places. One of the valuable capacities of the city of Hamedan is the historic hill of Hegmetaneh, which can attract tourists at the national and international level as the brand of the city. This research aims to develop a comprehensive and context-oriented model for the branding of Hegmataneh Hill in Hamadan city. For this purpose, the research process using the ground theory method and interviews with four groups: residents and businesses; experts; city managers; and tourists who are familiar with the area, and the selection of interviewees was based on the snowball method. A total of 32 in-depth interviews were conducted. By coding the concepts extracted from the interviews, 129 concepts were categorized into 23 categories. According to the Strauss and Corbin model, the extracted categories were placed in four sections: conditions (causal, contextual, intervening), main category, strategies and consequences. As a result of this research, the contextual model of Hegmataneh Hill branding was obtained. The conducted analyzes show that the "Historical-Tourism Hill" brand can be considered in line with the strategic development of Hegmataneh Hill. Realizing the branding of Hegmataneh Hill can present a unique image of Hamadan city to the audience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an age where boundaries have dissolved, and rapid urbanization has left its mark, city marketing has emerged as a vital strategy to attract investments, tourists, visitors, and individuals conducive to urban development. This multidimensional approach, extending beyond the confines of traditional advertising, seeks to promote cities as unique and vibrant destinations, encompassing economic, social, and cultural dimensions, thus underscoring the increasing significance of effective city marketing strategies. Due to its pivotal role in the competitive and sustainable development of cities, the subject of city marketing and branding has garnered mounting interest from governments and the academic community. City branding, encompassing the promotion and communication of a city's image and identity, has become a focal point for city managers worldwide as they endeavor to manage city brands effectively. The wide-ranging economic and social impacts of city marketing strategies have driven academic researchers to intensify their focus on the interaction between urban development, city branding, and perception management. This study aims to evaluate the status of cities in Turkey concerning city branding and marketing through postgraduate studies while also providing insights into the evolution of scientific studies related to city marketing and branding over time, using bibliometric analysis. This approach aims to identify key trends, concepts, and keywords, with an emphasis on themes such as city identity, place branding, stakeholder engagement, digital marketing, sustainability, economic development, tourism promotion, and innovation/creativity. The findings reveal significant interest in these topics within Turkey, particularly in Istanbul, based on the analysis of Turkish postgraduate theses. This study underscores the growing global interest in city marketing and branding, providing a foundation for future research, including investigations into city branding during crisis periods, the integration of social responsibility and sustainability into branding strategies, and the impact of technology on city branding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the production, representations and reactions to the #LondonIsOpen campaign to ask how urban imaginaries are produced and what they entail for understanding the city. The analysis considers how the idea of a cosmopolitan, diverse and multicultural city is framed, what it includes and excludes and the distinct geographies of the city it produces. It draws on three data sources: documentary analysis of videos used in the campaign; social media analysis of tweets using #LondonIsOpen; and semi-structured interviews with key figures in the campaign team. The main arguments are that the appeal to openness contributes to the versatility of the campaign and the range of responses to it, making it highly adaptable and flexible to respond to current affairs; and that open London is geographically selective and imagined as business focused, trendy and cosmopolitan. In turn, the reactions to the idea of open London range from seeking a borderless world to anti-migrant rhetoric. Although the campaign represents London as welcoming and inclusive, such welcoming is partial and subject to contestation. The article concludes that over time, the openness of #LondonIsOpen has come to serve multiple political functions and act as a brand for the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Estudios Demográficos y Urbanos is the property of El Colegio de Mexico AC and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The concept of creative cities has gained prominence as urban centers strive to harness cultural heritage and innovation for economic and social growth. This study critically analyzes the branding of Kanazawa as a creative city, exploring the intricate interplay between preserving its historical traditions and fostering a modern, innovative identity. Drawing on a multi-dimensional approach, this research qualitatively examines the challenges and opportunities inherent in branding Kanazawa as a dynamic hub of creativity. Through a comprehensive review of the literature and empirical insights, the study delves into the complexities of branding strategies, investigating how Kanazawa's rich cultural heritage, including traditional crafts and historical landmarks, contributes to its creative identity. The analysis explores the significance of positioning the city as an artistic nucleus while ensuring that embracing contemporary creative expressions remains central to its branding narrative. Furthermore, this research critically addresses the potential gentrification effect of heightened creative branding. The study examines strategies to mitigate displacement and ensure inclusive growth that benefits local communities. In conclusion, this research comprehensively explores branding Kanazawa as a creative city, highlighting the intricacies of balancing tradition and innovation. By addressing these complexities, Kanazawa can harness its unique attributes to establish a genuinely impactful and enduring creative city brand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]