Cities are Not Products. (10th October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Vanolo, Alberto
• Is Part Of: Tijdschrift voor economische en sociale geografie. Volume 111:Number 1(2020)
• Page Start: 10
• Page End: 17
• Publication Date: 2019-10-10
• Subjects: City branding -- place branding -- product branding -- marketing -- critical urban geography; Economic geography -- Periodicals; Human geography -- Periodicals; 330.9005
• DOI: 10.1111/tesg.12385
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0040-747X

Abstract

Abstract: This paper reflects critically on city branding by building on Kavaratzis and Ashworth's 2005 article 'City branding: An effective assertion of identity or a transitory marketing trick?' It discusses the relationships between urban geography and branding studies, and challenges the idea that cities may be considered as special kinds of products in need of specific branding techniques. This exercise entails reflection on the boundaries between the concept of branding and its potential relation with the commodification of cities.