Culture and City Branding: Mega-Events and Iconic Buildings as Fragile Means to Brand the City

Abstract

In the last years many cities investigated diverse approaches to attract more audience and stimulate their economy. One of the key terms in this context is city branding. City branding strategies are used as a tool to race with other cities by displaying appealing images of the city and its assets. In this context, culture is as a marketable strength and new opportunity for cities to increasingly gain popularity. This paper deals with the utilization of cultural as a branding device. It discusses the role of culture in city branding and compares the use of recent popular tools, namely large- scale events, festivals and iconic architecture as a means for branding purpose. Finally, the paper argues that iconic buildings and mega-events using permanent structures in contrast to smaller events and festivals are unsustainable means to promote the culture of the city, as most of the time they are undermining the existing local culture in favour of a global taste, broadcasting similar images and activities.