Branding in urban regeneration

Abstract

Branding is becoming a popular instrument in urban regeneration. This paper discusses two main applications of branding in regeneration programmes: as a marketing instrument to create positive perceptions of regenerating areas, and as a planning instrument to direct and guide urban regeneration. In the latter case, a brand functions as a compass. On the basis of an analysis of two cases, the paper argues that effective branding requires collaboration between stakeholders: a brand tends to receive more support if it is a result of co-production by the stakeholders involved. Moreover, to be convincing, it is important that a brand corresponds sufficiently to concrete developments in the neighbourhood. A brand needs to be rooted in a common view on the desired development direction, and it needs to be closely connected with existing reality. Therefore, it is important to align the process of branding with the implementation of urban regeneration.