Eight of the 28 cities in the current phase of the New7Wonders Cities campaign are included in the new Guardian Cities brand list, which ranks global cities using a range of metrics, from weather to transport to crime and social ‘buzz’.
In alphabetical order, the eight are: Bangkok, Barcelona, Chicago, Istanbul, London, Mexico City, Mumbai and Seoul.
When it comes to city branding, the Guardian explains that image is everything. From t-shirts to film scenes, the visual “brand” of many cities has become part of international iconography. Along with the visual brand, cities are also investing heavily in the “three Ts”: trade, talent and tourism.
In creating its list of the world’s most powerful city brands, the Guardian asked the Saffron consultancy to conduct an assessment of 57 major cities around the world. The resulting report measured two key aspects of a city’s brand: its “assets” (attractions, climate, infrastructure, safety and economic prosperity), and its “buzz”, a combination of social media and traditional media mentions.