Barcelona implemented strategic plans like "Barcelona Growth" and initiatives led by the private organization "Barcelona Global" to rebrand itself as a center of innovation and attract investment, positioning itself as a smart city and increasing tourism; this involved developing a new brand identity and story, extensive marketing campaigns, and emphasizing its culture of creativity and innovation rather than just its history and architecture. As a result, Barcelona has become one of the strongest and most recognized city brands in the world, achieving recognition as a top smart city and improving its economic development and quality of life.

2. 25% of all Spanish exports
2,000 years of history
+7.5 m tourists in 2013
4.58 Km of beaches
1.6 million inhabitants
(entire Metropolitan Area
totals 3.8 million)
High Quality of Life

3. 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics
Redesigned, modern, cosmopolitan and touristic city
Continued transforming itself and also innovating
and creating all kind of initiatives and events
Communicating effectively this transformations and
the identity of the city
It ‘s not just
communications

4. Strategic Metropolitan Plan of Barcelona
Vision 2020
Objective: to position Barcelona as
one of the most attractive and
influential European regions for
innovative global talent and as the
best setting for economic and
business growth
but what about
?
Business
Innovation
Services
Knowledge
Entrepreneurship
Tourism Hotspot,

5. How to create employment?
How to promote investment and funding?
How to attract talent?
How to help companies and entrepreneurs?
‘Barcelona Growth’ programme identified
30 main economic measures to focus on
rebranding Barcelona
from ‘Mobile World Capital’ into a ‘Smart City’
positioning Barcelona as
a city of knowledge and innovation
1. Public sector new economic
development strategy:
‘Barcelona Growth’

6. What is it: a private, independent and non-profit association
a citizen’s platform of ideas and action
Mission: make Barcelona one of the most attractive cities in the
world
attract and develop talent and economic activity
Main Projects aim to:
•Strengthen the Barcelona brand associating it with higher added
value and quality
•Attract foreign investment and talent in Barcelona
•Bring together innovative talent and business decision centers
•Encourage dialogue between sectors and
•Detect development opportunities
2. Private sector involvement
‘Barcelona Global’

7. 2011 project included:
• the identification and confirmation of the main brand
•attributes and the unique and different values of the
city
•the definition of the brand vision and new brand
positioning
• the development of a new brand story and value
proposition
New brand management model -
establishment of a separate agency with the participation
of public and private sectors
3. A new Barcelona brand
strategy

8. 2013 ‘Barcelona Inspira’ objectives:
•visualize
•communicate
•value
all the city assets and initiatives aimed at
positioning Barcelona as a place for
business, entrepreneurial talent and
economic activity
4. A new city brand
communication strategy

9. ‘Barcelona inspires’
‘’Expresses a proactive approach
linked to creativity, which entails not so
much passive reception as the
creative impulse and the ability to
move others to action’’
‘’is not a mere celebratory slogan, but
rather an expression of the need to
articulate and envisage a ‘new city
and brand story’’
“A story that means it is recognized
and appreciated not just as a tourist
destination, but also as a place that
generates and attracts talent
and new investment.”
Not just Gaudi and Picasso

10. 3 Communication campaigns:
An image campaign to
raise awareness about
the new story being
told
A tourism decentralization
campaign
A prototyping campaign
that promotes Barcelona
as the ideal place to
create prototypes

11. Generation of content in international
magazines, dailies and the financial press
Financial Times, New York Times, Wall Street
Journal, The Economist
New website “barcelona.cat” links
Barcelona to the strategic sectors that make
it an ideal city for investment, training and
tourism
Social Networks: The new story is
mainly based on presenting Barcelona as a
creative, lively, open and vibrant city,
committed to the culture of innovation and the
culture of happiness
Street marketing: design and creation
of an art installation that includes the essence
of the position, from an artistic perspective

12. •6th strongest city brand in the world according to the study developed by
Saffron Brand Consultants for The Guardian in 2014
•The city was awarded with the title of ‘European Capital of Innovation’ by the
European Union in 2014 and is ranked the 4th Smart City in Europe and the
10th in the world
•The city has also been ranked as the 4th city in Europe in Scientific
publications and the 10th in the world, the 1st city in southern Europe in
economic development and the 1st European city in quality of life for
workers
•According to a recent international survey by the City of Barcelona in 2013,
Barcelona is being perceived as one of the most creative cities in the world
•City of the Future at the World Communication Forum in Davos 2015
Impact
Results and Rewards

13. http://lameva.barcelona.cat/bcnmetropolis/en/dossier/barcelona-
inspira/
http://placebrandobserver.com/en/rebranding-barcelona-city-
branding-case-study/
http://ajuntament.barcelona.cat/marcabarcelona/sites/default/files/
Dossier%20Case%20Study%20eng.pdf
http://meet.barcelona.cat/en/visit-barcelona/living-together
Cultural Marketing Course:
Smart Cities Project/Ass. Prof. Betty Tsakarestou
Team: Charalampidou Christina
Christopoulou Marieta
Tzoumani Efi