Cities, much like commercial brands, must strategically manage their image and reputation to attract investors, talent, and tourists. With individuals enjoying greater mobility and more choices about where to invest capital, live, and go on holiday, the importance of effective branding has never been more critical.

To better understand the distinct positioning of different cities, we conducted a segmentation analysis of city brands, examining the comprehensive range of 50+ metrics in our research study. This resulted in four unique city archetypes: Global Metropolises, Thriving Centres, Heritage Capitals, and Growth Hubs.

Each of these groups carries its own identity, strengths, and challenges. Global Metropolises are the powerhouses-well-known and highly regarded. These cities benefit from a phenomenon known as the mere-exposure effect, where their familiarity leads to positive associations across a wide range of attributes, from economic stability to cultural influence.

Growth Hubs, by contrast, are emerging cities, with much lower familiarity. This results in more subdued associations, meaning that while they have significant potential, they face the challenge of shaping perceptions to realise that promise.

The unique characteristics of each archetype are more evident when looking at their relative brand profiles. Global Metropolises are renowned for strong economies, world-class universities, and global significance.

Thriving Centres stand out for their future growth potential, accessibility & affordability, and investment in science and technology. Heritage Capitals, with their rich history and architectural beauty, are celebrated cultural centres, but face challenges in maintaining modern relevance. Growth Hubs, positioned as the next big regional players, are perceived as affordable, innovative, and having favourable taxation, but they may lack lifestyle appeal compared to the other archetypes.

Competing with Your Peers and Planning Your Trajectory

According to Brand Finance data, reputation is correlated with the 7 dimensions of consideration in the study, and it is most strongly correlated with consideration to visit. This makes tourism a critical entry point for broader engagement with the city.

To effectively compete, cities must understand what drives their reputation. While these drivers vary by archetype–for instance, Dubai and Rome, two cities with very high reputations but likely shaped by very different factors–there are still some consistent themes across the board.

Trustworthiness and economic strength are universal drivers of reputation across all archetypes, but there are some distinctions. For Heritage Capitals, economic stability ranks lower than in the other groups, likely due to their ability to rely more heavily on tourism, sometimes to the detriment of investment in innovation and infrastructure.

In Growth Hubs, trust-typically one of the top drivers–is also ranked much lower, reflecting their lower familiarity globally and the time it takes to build credibility. As a result, these cities rely more heavily on attributes like employment and governance to bolster their reputations.

Good governance and appealing lifestyle are two key attributes found in most, but not all, archetypes. While good governance is highly valued across all groups except Heritage Capitals, an appealing lifestyle is important for all except Growth Hubs. This illustrates how each group is evaluated based on its unique offerings.

While attributes such as trust, economy, governance and lifestyle serve as reputational pillars, there are also attributes unique to each archetype that differentiate cities from their peers within that archetype. These are attributes usually not part of the general profile of the archetypes but are important in driving their reputation and make the stronger contenders stand out.

Global Metropolises, for instance, have green spaces and recreation as a top 10 driver of reputation, an area that might be challenging for large, populous cities to prioritise. For Thriving Centres, it is great universities and low crime. Where typically Global Metropolises are known for universities, Thriving Centres can use this as a differentiation point to pull ahead of their peers.

Heritage Capitals which pivot beyond just their historical identity and can foster a community feeling of being open and welcoming win. Meanwhile, Growth Hubs can leverage their national and international connectivity to offer a very practical appeal point to investors and tourists alike.

Balancing Identity and Audience: Tailoring the Brand for Strategic Impact

As cities work to strengthen their identity within the context of their archetype, the next critical step is tailoring their brand to engage different audiences without compromising their core offering. For instance, Heritage Capitals may want to emphasise their history and cultural allure to attract tourists, but to appeal to investors, they will need to highlight business opportunities and innovation. Conversely, cities typically positioned for business, like the Thriving Centres, may primarily attract investors, but they also need to cultivate a more dynamic cultural or lifestyle offering to draw in visitors and talent.

This balancing act allows cities to resonate with multiple audiences, shaping their reputation as destinations for work, investment, tourism, and quality of life. Cities like Lisbon and Dublin have successfully navigated this, offering both strong business environments and compelling tourism experiences. Lisbon has capitalised on its tech and startup scene, while Dublin has positioned itself as a hub for multinational corporations.

As we move beyond overall reputation, the next step in strategic positioning is understanding how to address the distinct needs of these varied audiences, based on the 7 dimensions of consideration to drive sustainable growth.

What's at Stake: Shaping the Future of City Brands

Ultimately, the global competition among cities is about understanding where you want your trajectory to lead and actively shaping perceptions to get there. Thriving Centres need to act fast to capitalise on current growth, while Global Metropolises must navigate challenges like affordability and bureaucracy to maintain their leading status. Meanwhile, Heritage Capitals must avoid relying solely on their legacy, instead integrating innovation and economic potential to remain competitive in investment and talent attraction.

And of course, Growth Hubs, with the farthest to go but also the most potential. A big part of their future rise depends on growing their familiarity, defining their strengths, and positioning themselves as the next big opportunity on the global stage.

Success is about continuously evolving and shaping perceptions to meet future goals. Whether aiming for the global stage or regional impact, cities that take control of their trajectory will set themselves apart.

Brand Finance Global City Index 2024

Read our new report on the world's most comprehensive research study on perceptions of the top 100 city brands, based on a global survey of more than 15,000 respondents across 20 countries on all continents.  

In the sphere of city branding and urban policy, understanding what draws people to consider cities to visit or relocate to is crucial. The comprehensive research underlying the Brand Finance US City Index maps out key indicators for 50 of the largest US cities and can be analyzed to shed light on the main factors influencing city brands’ attractiveness.

To understand the mindset of potential residents and visitors, we surveyed over 10,000 respondents across the country who were tasked to rate a selection of large US cities on their overall reputation and on consideration to live, work (locally and remotely), study, retire, invest in, and visit. The respondents were then prompted to evaluate the city brands against 40 attributes spanning seven pillars, each integral to city life.

Running relative importance analysis on this data, we can now begin to understand how these attributes drive consideration across the seven dimensions and how the resulting drivers vary across different demographic segments. By dissecting the data, we aim to uncover insights crucial for city marketeers and policymakers to enhance their city’s appeal relevant to their specific objectives.

Consideration Drivers for Studying, Working, Retirement, and Tourism

Whether you are aiming to boost tourism, or to attract potential residents looking to study, work or retire, certain key themes resonate consistently. For example, People & Values is the most important pillar for those considering a city to study in, work locally in, or work remotely from, emphasizing the communal aspects of city life. However, among those considering a city to retire in, while People & Values is still important, Liveability takes precedence, highlighting the desire for comfort and ease of living.

For those considering a city to study or work in, the focus is on career opportunities and advancements, and so Business & Investment also comes into critical consideration. However, those considering a city to work remotely from appear less dependent on the local environment for financial stability, with Liveability taking higher priority.

Preferences shift when it comes to tourism consideration, with Culture & Heritage taking the top spot, and – along with People & Values – accounting for over 50% of consideration. This not only highlights the appeal of diverse cultural experiences but also underscores the importance of shared values and strong communities in attracting visitors. Unpacking the pillars, we can see what specific attributes are most important for driving consideration within each dimension.

Attributes such as trustworthiness and good governance, characterized by respect for law, high ethical standards, and low corruption, resonate strongly among those considering long-term residency to work, study or retire. This indicates a desire for security and stability within the community.

Meanwhile, although they also value trustworthiness and governance, individuals seeking a base for remote working prioritize appealing lifestyle and fun, reflecting reduced dependence on effective city stewardship, and rather, a quest for an enriching life experience. Tourists are also drawn to cities that can offer fun and an appealing lifestyle, followed by great shopping and dining options, vibrant nightlife scenes, friendliness, and nice weather.

Beyond trustworthiness and good governance, potential students and professional residents each prioritize practical attributes tailored to their specific objectives. Students seek out excellent colleges and universities, while professionals value a strong and stable economy.

Other drivers making the top 5 include low crime and violence among those considering a city to study or retire in, and a city that is clean and cares for the environment among those considering a city to work in (locally or remotely) or retire in.

Consideration Drivers for Relocating: Generational Perspectives

Examining consideration to live in a city through a generational lens clearly reflects varying life stages and priorities. Baby Boomers and Gen Xers prioritize Liveability, seeking comfort and functionality while, Millennials and Gen Zers place a higher priority on People & Values, reflecting a desire for social cohesion and inclusivity. Of the four generations, Gen Zers place the lowest importance on the comforts of Liveability, while Business & Investment becomes more key as many chase ambitions and career opportunities to establish themselves and build financial security. As Liveability increases in importance with age, Business & Investment decreases.

Sustainability & Transport ranking higher in importance for Baby Boomers than for any other generation may initially appear counterintuitive. However, unpacking the specific drivers within this pillar reveals the attributes that facilitate a comfortable standard of living. Attributes such as a clean city that cares for the environment and green spaces and recreation seamlessly align with Baby Boomers’ post-career life stage and shifting priorities towards personal comfort. Comparing importance of transportation, Gen Zers place a higher importance on a walkable city than any other generation and Baby Boomers place the highest importance on ease of getting around by car.

Attracting Investors: Understanding Variances in Investment Considerations

When asked about consideration to invest in various cities, our analysis shows that, in general, people look at opportunities to invest through the lens of personal preferences similar to how they would consider a place to live in. Appealing lifestyle and good governance (respects law, high ethical standards, low corruption) come up as attributes with the highest importance.

However, if we narrow down the analysis to a more targeted audience, looking specifically at people who frequently invest in property, we see interesting variations. Trustworthiness emerges as the predominant factor influencing consideration. Meanwhile, the importance of low crime and violence grows, and the prominence of good governance diminishes. Fun barely makes the top 10 and appealing lifestyle the top 15 while the “Business & Investment” attributes around taxation shoot up in significance.

While the general public prioritizes factors around lifestyle, ethics and personal preferences when considering where to invest, frequent property investors place a far higher importance on minimizing investment risk. This audience focuses on attributes relating to reliability, safety, and security as well as taxation policies, indicating a pragmatic focus on financial returns.

These findings underscore the nuanced nature of investment considerations, shaped by both individual preferences and the specific nature of the investment. Understanding these variations is essential for tailoring strategies that attract diverse investor groups and for fostering sustainable economic growth in cities. While this study is based on a general public sample, we can utilize respondent profiling to gain deeper insights into our audience in order to guide city brand strategies in a more effective manner.

Crafting City Appeal

By understanding the factors influencing consideration across various dimensions and demographic segments, this research equips city marketeers and policymakers with the tools to enhance city appeal effectively. Aligning branding strategies with the preferences of target demographics, cities can position themselves as desirable destinations and ensure sustained relevance and competitiveness in the dynamic landscape of urban development.

Brand Finance City Index 2024

A comprehensive survey of America's top 50 city brands. 

The Brand Finance City Index measures consideration and reputation perceptions from a global audience of consumers to map key performance indicators for city brands. Specifically, consideration and reputation are asked across 7 core dimensions ranging from studying to retiring in a city. To gain further insight, the general public is then prompted with a list of 45 attributes which are categorized into 7 pillars (see Figure 1 page 16) and asked to identify which they would associate with the cities they are familiar with.

Delving further into the data behind the index we can see what drives stronger levels of consideration, and thus revealing levers that can be pulled to improve the desirability of a city to relevant audiences.

To achieve this, we run relative importance regression analysis on consideration and reputation against the 45 attributes to define the most important drivers across the 7 dimensions. Insight can be elevated further by applying a lens of segmentation, looking at the results amongst various demographic groups to create action plans for targeting specific audiences.

Generational Similarities and Contrasts

Attracting people from different generations may seem more multifaceted than it is. Looking at Baby Boomers and Gen Z for example, there are quite a few similarities in driving consideration for a city as a destination to live.

Both generations place a high importance on attributes which fall under the People & Values and Liveability pillars, such as trustworthiness and offering an appealing lifestyle.

Of course, they are not entirely without differences. Baby Boomers place a higher importance on Business & Investment, with attributes such as having a strong and stable economy and ease of finding employment showing up in their top 10 drivers.

Gen Z, while also valuing a strong and stable economy, place greater importance on Education & Science attributes, unsurprisingly considering their life stage.

While the Liveability pillar has highest importance to both generations when considering a city to live in, each generation places a different importance on the attributes within that pillar highlighting some interesting differences.

Diverse Country-Level Perspectives

Residents from different countries show a great variety in what drives them to consider a city to work locally from.

Taking respondents from the US and China for example and looking at the top 10 drivers reveal distinctively different results.

Chinese respondents are much more balanced between the 7 pillars when considering a city to work in, while American respondents are skewed towards Business & Investment and Governance, with 3 pillars not appearing in their top 10 drivers at all.

Looking inside the pillars at the specific attributes, Business & Investment is one which residents in both China and the US broadly agree on.

Both place high importance on attractive taxation laws and a work culture which promotes start-ups and innovations.

Within Governance, both countries agree that it is important to have citizens which engage in governance.

US residents additionally look for ethical governance and low corruption as well as easy visa applications.

Attracting Investors vs Tourists

Despite Investment and Tourism being quite different dimensions, one could argue that attracting tourism is the first step to increase familiarity as well as consideration in the other dimensions.

Rarely does one move to live in, retire in, or invest in a city without having visited it first.

Aside from looking at demographic segments we can also target groups by activities they engage in.

In this case looking at people who frequently invest as well as those who frequently travel to see what drives their consideration when choosing to invest in or visit a city.

Naturally, Business & Investment is the most important pilar in attracting investment.

Perhaps more surprising is that both investors and tourists place similar importance on the Liveability of a city with attributes such as an appealing lifestyle and a common language coming in strong on both sides.

In fact, out of the 10 top drivers of consideration for investment and tourism, four are held in common:

+ Trustworthy

+ Strong and stable economy

+ Speaks a language I understand

+ Appealing lifestyle

Identifying your area of focus to build consideration

After defining the target audience and understanding what drives them, it is important to understand current perceptions among the target audience of the city brand. This will provide a clear picture of where the city brand differentiates itself and what needs focus, reinforcement, and monitoring.

Brand Finance City Index 2023 

Read our new report on the world's most comprehensive research study on perceptions of the top 100 city brands, based on a global survey of close to 15,000 members of the public in 20 countries on all continents. 

Nurturing reputation and coming across as an influential player are both essential objectives for nation brands as it is important to build recognition in the best possible light in order to grow Soft Power. It will establish trust and provide a strong base for securing national interests. It will also help to attract investors, tourists, trade, and talent.

But how should nation brands go about growing Reputation and Influence?

Build a global strategic axis around key drivers

Prioritising activities that have an impact across many countries will save money and increase efficiency. Cultural and market specificities exist, but it is easy to get submerged into local tailoring paralysis. Therefore, while it is important to acknowledge these differences, it is best to start with identifying commonalities.

Our Global Soft Power Index research shows that there is a great opportunity for nation brands to build a global strategic axis where broad priorities, content, and guidelines can be harmonised. Running regression analysis against the Reputation and Influence metrics, we see that despite cultural differences, certain attributes consistently come out as stronger drivers regardless of country, region, or continent.

Likely linked to the universal need for security and safety, solid economic and political foundations are paramount – that is both internally and in global affairs. Both Reputation and Influence are strongly driven by a nation’s ability to demonstrate a strong and stable economy with openness for business. Influence is also primarily linked to a nation’s convincing power in diplomatic circles while Reputation is very positively impacted by internationally admired leaders and a well-governed and politically stable situation.

This means nations should endeavour to display reasonable messaging and actions that will make them come across as strong figures and role models.

Other key drivers of Influence include attracting press interest (“affairs I follow closely”) and an often-overlooked area – “influential in arts and entertainment” – it is in fact an efficient lever and one that would certainly work to boost Familiarity too.

Another dominant driver of Reputation is “sustainable cities and transport”, which is indicative of the shifting mentality towards social responsibility and the expectation of leadership from governments and elected officials in this space.

Finetune locally and build cross-border acceptance

Understanding how to execute the strategy locally can involve considering additional local drivers to leverage. For example, in China, “food the world loves” is far more important than it is at the global level where it ranks 28th out of the 35 attributes. In Japan, on the other hand, “great place to visit” jumps to third place, up from 24th globally.

Meanwhile, “products and brands the world loves” is important to both China and Japan and likewise far more so than at a global level. A strategy linked to these local drivers may be worthwhile if these markets are an important part of the overall geographical target.

Nonetheless, the most important aspect of local finetuning is to support the intercultural fluency of partners, ambassadors, communities, organisations and individuals involved in the delivery of initiatives.

While nations can contribute to the world in ways that can generate positive emotions universally (food, music, sport, scenic beauty etc.), the way they present their activities can unexpectedly be misconstrued and intentions can easily be misinterpreted or recast.

Getting ahead of potential criticism is becoming increasingly complex. The international environment is full of tangible and intangible information that is widespread and vehiculated instantly via multiple digital channels.

While modern media platforms constitute a massive opportunity for initiatives that can travel across frontiers, they also increasingly expose nations to risks of backlash.

The key is to identify cultural trends early, to be responsive to public opinion and to demonstrate authenticity.

Increasing exposure to their own culture can also be a powerful way for nations to ensure positive emotions are associated with their own lifestyle and communication style.

Define your area of focus and prioritise easier wins

Once key drivers are identified, the next step is to assess performance against top drivers to define the area of focus – that is the important drivers that are weakly associated with the nation brand. Improving perceptions on these dimensions will have the highest impact.

Reinforcing strong associations with important drivers will also protect existing Reputation and Influence.

It is crucial to be realistic and strike the right balance between feasibility and potential impact. A nation must look at its resources, ease of implementation, touchpoints, government objectives, and the receptiveness of its home citizens.

A nation may have unique characteristics that are not strong drivers but could still be converted into valuable outcomes if no significant investments are required and if international relevance can be unlocked.

Finally, monitoring trends that could become more important tomorrow could play a critical role longer term.

Global Soft Power Index 223

Explore the findings of the world's most comprehensive research study on perceptions of nation brands, presented in a downloadable report and an interactive dashboard.