The Case of Thessaloniki’s Branding: Constructing Social Networking and CSR in the Digital Era

Abstract

2012 was a celebratory year for Thessaloniki, Greece, mother land of Alexander the Great, marking 100 years since its liberation. In 2012, the municipality of Thessaloniki initiated an international sustainable development (SD) strategy. Part of this strategy was to launch a branding campaign with four thematic categories: (i) history; (ii) social activities and culture; (iii) environment and urban landscape and (iv) entrepreneurship. This chapter presents and critically analyzes these ongoing social, environmental and economic factors of Thessaloniki’s SD strategy. Maintaining as a focal point social responsibility (SR) and social networking this paper reveals the importance of innovative services in digital communication and social networking when branding a city’s profile. It presents the role of SR in branding and networking, and it outlines how Thessaloniki and its stakeholders are engaging, encountering and exploring digital and social profile potentials as well as the opportunities and perspectives for the years to come.