Why is place branding important?

I think that ‘place branding’ is a false and dangerous idea. Countries and cities and regions have brands – in the sense that they have images – and those images are absolutely important to their progress and prosperity in the modern world. But if ‘branding’ means to deliberately alter that image through marketing and advertising and communications, places can’t be branded. Only a constant stream of new policies, new investments and innovations can change the image of a country or city – and it takes a very long time. Places are judged by the things they do and make and the people who live there – not by the things they say about themselves.

What kind of benefits place gets from well built brand?

Places with a powerful and positive image can export more products, more culture, more people, more services and attract more tourists, more investors, more immigrants and the attention and respect of other governments. Places with weak or damaged images find it much harder and more expensive to achieve all of these goals.

On whom is certain city brand dependant, who is building it? (authorities, entrepreneurs, citizens, or others)

The reputations of cities are built by the people who govern them, the people who live and work there, and the people who design the buildings. Every one of their actions contributes a tiny amount to the reality – and consequently the image – of the city.

Who should be in charge of certain city brand development?

Nobody, because there is no such thing as ‘city brand development’. The elected government of a city is in charge of making policy, and that is probably the most significant contributor to the way the city earns its reputation.

Place branding is a complicated and long process. What should be first steps in this process?
Have a purpose. In the age of globalisation, every city, every country and every region has to have a reason to exist: a contribution to make to its own populations and the rest of humanity. If a city knows why it exists, it can start to do that better, more imaginatively, more effectively.

What kind of elements can promote cities the best?

Promotion is a different matter. Cities need to promote for tourism, for foreign and domestic investment, for business visitors, for talent, for major and minor events in culture, sport and politics. This is marketing, and needs to be done to the highest international standards.

How do you measure, evaluate results of city brand campaigns?

Don’t bother. They are a wicked waste of taxpayers’ money. Promotional campaigns which are specifically designed to increase tourism or culture need to be strictly measured according to the success they achieve. But campaigns designed to change the overall image of the city shouldn’t even be contemplated. There is absolutely no evidence that they work.

You conduct many lectures, conferences and meetings. Which or what kind of countries or cities are interested the most in building the brand strategies?

Almost every city in the world, from the biggest to the smallest.  

You wrote 5 books on your own and many other publications. Which one would you advise to read first?

Competitive Identity, followed by Places. Polish readers might also enjoy read Sprawie Dliwość Marek (Brand New Justice) or Brand America – Tajemnica Megamarki.

Do you find any of Polish cities recognizable in the world? If yes which one? If not, why is it like that?

Warsaw ranks 46th out of the 50 cities included in my survey, the Anholt-GfK Roper City Brands Index. This survey polls a sample equivalent to 70% of the world’s population each year. In my personal opinion, Kraków is one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, but it is not particularly well known around the world.

There is no golden advice which always works for sure. However maybe you have some tip for local authorities to think through before starting with brand building?

Yes: forget brand building. Do some proper, properly funded tourism promotion, and make sure it is genuinely world class. But reputation doesn’t come from campaigns: it comes from good, imaginative, consistent, enlightened governance.