The document discusses city branding and provides guidelines for developing an effective city branding strategy. It recommends identifying stakeholders and conducting a GAP and SWOT analysis to understand the city's current identity and desired outcomes. Key questions to consider include who the city wants to attract and how to effectively communicate its narrative. The strategy should then define goals to differentiate the city and increase awareness, correlation, and esteem in a sustainable way. Implementation involves allocating resources and an official communication plan using both traditional and digital marketing channels. Progress should be regularly monitored and evaluated through online tools and stakeholder meetings.

1. City Branding
A basic how to approach
Brand4cosmos
www.b4c.gr

2. Brand4cosmos
• City branding is a well designed and systematic
effort to provide a city with a multi level
distinctive identity in order to:
• Promote and achieve sustainable development
and well being for population and all
stakeholders through attracting tourism,
investments and young talented people.

3. Brand4cosmos
• Designing the brand identity (brand elements as
such as the logo, the colors, the emblem, the
slogan etc. as well as the communication mix
(both physical and digital) of promoting the city,
a coherent and solid strategy should be
formulated and executed.

4. Brand4cosmos
The City’s brand strategy
1. All stakeholders such as the Municipality, state
principles, Institutes, businesses, common
people and volunteers etc. should be identified
and listed accordingly.
2. A GAP analysis should be conducted on the
basis of answering the following key questions:

5. Brand4cosmos
1. Identity: who we are and what we stand for?
2. Desired outcome: what we want to achieve?
Who exactly we wish to attract to our city and
how we measure progress?
3. How do we reach bigger audiences? What is our
narrative or our story?
4. Coherence: How do we organize special
programs and actions to achieve consistency in
city communication?

6. Brand4cosmos
• As GAP analysis’s findings will clearly indicate
where the city stands and where it wants to go. A
SWOT Analysis should also be applied on the
following basis:
1. Strengths
2. Weaknesses
3. Opportunities
4. Threats

7. Brand4cosmos
• All SWOT parameters must be exhaustedly
analyzed by the branding strategy team and
reordered accordingly as are subjected to a
various of societal changes
• Having concluded a systematic approach on
what the city stands for and also where is it
heading, we proceed with building up the brand
strategy.
• In other words, goals and present situation of
the city are now clear and valid

8. Brand4cosmos
• A competition analysis should also be carried
out so to recognize all cities that form the actual
competition(past, present, future)
• All competitive advantages of the above cities
should also be mentioned clearly
• Competitive cities and their competitive
advantages shape up our branding strategy to a
great extent

9. Brand4cosmos
• Brand strategy. The key strategic factors:
1. Differentiation
2. Awareness
3. Correlation
4. Esteem
5. Sustainability

10. Brand4cosmos
• All above key strategic factors should be in
practical terms embodied within the city’s brand
strategic plan so to provide the city with a
distinctive brand identity long term and help
fulfill all strategic goals

11. Brand4cosmos
• Strategy implementation
Budget, people, time, place and decision makers
should be activated on a scheduled basis
The promotional official communication mix
should be decided for and brought to tracks for
both physical (traditional) and digital means.
Websites, blogs, affiliate marketing, content
marketing, social media, campaigns etc.

12. Brand4cosmos
• Brand strategy monitoring and evaluation
A basic system of monitoring and evaluating all
programs and actions implemented according to
the brand strategy should be designed and kept.
Internet provides a series of monitoring tools.
(free and easy to use).
Regular meetings should also be planned amongst
all stakeholders in order to keep strategy alive.

13. Thank you!!