The importance of brand MIPIM 2019 Liverpool

Whether you’re a business or a city, building a consistent and credible brand is integral to the way you’re seen by your residents, workers, visitors, nationally and internationally. Brand is the sum total of a place or business; its purpose, its values and its reason for being. And this is, of course, of key importance when it comes to attracting investment.

The power of brand and storytelling is overwhelming. When a city has a clear identity, this is a sign that the powers that be in the city, not just the city council, are aligned in their vision. By working together, cities can create added value and opportunity so that the city is seen as more than the sum of its parts.

Across the world, we’re seeing cities embarking on vibrant branding projects. From New York City to Amsterdam, Helsinki to Porto, all these cities are enhancing their brand to create new energy for residents and visitors alike. Taking a look at the way they brand their city, allows them to reinvent themselves to appeal to new and existing demographics.

You might not think about a city creating a brand for itself, but the examples are often so obvious that we don’t even register them as being brand-led. Take the iconic New York City ‘I heart NY logo’ or the Instagrammable ‘I AMSTERDAM’ installation that was outside the Dutch capital’s Rijksmuseum until late last year. Both of these are well-known across the world, and are both significant illustrations of how a city can put itself on the map.

A city’s brand means just as much as a business’ brand: showing its value and vibrancy. It should tap into the uniqueness of the place and be authentic. A great city brand makes a place desirable, presenting it as an exciting destination by cementing its place in the country, and the world.

For Bruntwood, as a potential investor, a city’s brand creates something special. It’s a clear sign that the city will be more open to innovation and willing to commit time, energy and effort into developing buildings, land and places into something meaningful that will positively impacts the lives of people living in, working in and visiting the city.

Find out more about how a city can create a great brand at MIPIM on Wednesday 13th March.

Focusing on Liverpool’s brand, Building a World-Class City Region: The Story so Far will take place at 10:40-11:30am at the Hotel Gray D'Albion. The full list of participants:

Emma Cartledge, Marketing Project Lead - Bruntwood Works
Jon Humphreys, Non-Executive Director - Black & Ginger
Samantha McClary, Deputy Editor - Estates Gazette
Teleri Davies, Head of Events - Downtown in Business
Camilla Mankabady, Director of Communications - Liverpool City Council
Moderator: Michael Parkinson, University of Liverpool (Moderator)

Find out where you can hear from Bruntwood at MIPIM