How Cities Become Brands

This book explores the fragile process of city brand development thoughtfully. Backgrounds are explained, experiences recounted, and city branding inspired.

The dream of every brand maker: develop a city into a strong brand – perhaps even a myth. Yet, myths' creation is a curiosity. When purposeful, are there specific success recipes, and can those responsible be identified? Can the process be replicated? How do brand makers navigate city and brand complexity practically? How do they offer success prospects to the arduous process of creating a city brand? How do they handle external criticism and self-doubts?

City images emerge from complex and random processes. In global urban competition, this process is enriched with brand making achievements. Success isn't guaranteed, depending on discussed conditions. Lastly, rules for effective city branding are outlined.

The Authors
Eric Häusler is a historian with a keen interest in social science concepts. Currently, he is conducting a habilitation project on urbanization processes in Tokyo, New York, and Zurich in the 1960s. Extended research stays have taken him to Sophia University in Tokyo and presently to The New School and New York University in New York City. His most recent publication is his dissertation titled "Ökonomisches Scheitern. Solidarische Praktiken in Bern 1750-1900" (published by transcript Verlag).
Jürgen Häusler is retired. At the beginning of his career, he engaged in social science research and later assumed leadership responsibilities for many years at a globally leading consulting firm specializing in brand development. Additionally, he taught at the University of Leipzig and published on the topic.

Both authors share a passion for a multidisciplinary, theory-guided, and practice-oriented exploration of the phenomena of the city and city branding.

The translation was done with the help of artificial intelligence. A subsequent human revision was done primarily in terms of content.