2. WHAT MAKES BRANDING PLACES UNIQUE Diverse Customer Segment Multicultural Live There vs Visitors Businesses & Investors Locations Sell Experience Expectations Differ Themes are Key “Excitement” Impacted by Weather & Location Every Place Has a History Iconic Symbols and Sights Do you Keep or Change Impression

3. HOW IS A PLACE DEFINED

4. KEYS TO BUILDING A STRONG PLACE BRANDHTTP://WWW.SUSTAINABLEBRANDS.COM/NEWS_AND_VIEWS/ARTICLES/WHY- REBUILDING-CITIES-NEED-BUILD-THEIR-BRAND

5. HOW TO IDENTIFY THE ESSENCE OF A LOCATION BRANDHTTP://WWW.SUSTAINABLEBRANDS.COM/NEWS_AND_VIEWS/ARTICLES/WHY-REBUILDING-CITIES-NEED- BUILD-THEIR-BRAND Simon Sinek believes most corporations and people (and, I would venture, cities) have no trouble saying what they do, or how they do it. But very few can define why. This is due to the way we process information: the part of our brain that defines rational thoughts like what and how also happens to control our language. The part that controls deeper, emotional concepts like why isn’t wired for words. So we can easily verbalize rational thoughts, but are tongue-tied when someone asks us why we exist. Successful brands like Apple have cracked this code. They’ve created legions of fans not just because they create cool devices. Instead, they understand why they exist: to challenge the status quo (perfectly encapsulated in the ‘Mac vs PC’ commercials). And that why forms a bond with every tech user who doesn’t want to be perceived as a geek. So the first lesson to any city that wants to build its brand is to begin with some serious soul-searching. You need to define your why.

7. HOW TO IDENTIFY THE “WHITE SPACE” BRANDHTTP://WWW.SUSTAINABLEBRANDS.COM/NEWS_AND_VIEWS/ARTICLES/WHY-REBUILDING-CITIES-NEED- BUILD-THEIR-BRAND Once you’ve defined your essence, you need to hold it up to a very critical filter. Can it claim it’s own white space? White space is the space in your target’s psyche that is unoccupied by other brands. Find it, and your brand sticks. Don’t find it, and you’re quickly forgotten. There are three key questions to ask yourself to assess whether you’ve struck white space gold:

8. DEFINE BOSTON’S “WHITE SPACE” BRANDHTTP://WWW.SUSTAINABLEBRANDS.COM/NEWS_AND_VIEWS/ARTICLES/WHY-REBUILDING-CITIES-NEED- BUILD-THEIR-BRAND

9. HOW TO “FUTURE PROOF” YOUR LOCATION BRANDHTTP://WWW.SUSTAINABLEBRANDS.COM/NEWS_AND_VIEWS/ARTICLES/WHY-REBUILDING-CITIES-NEED- BUILD-THEIR-BRAND Our world is going through unprecendented change. Climate change, technological change, cultural change. Is your brand resilient enough to thrive in this environment? Although there are no guarantees, building the following 5 elements into your brand will give it a better than average chance of success.

10. BUILD BOSTON’S NEW BRAND BRANDHTTP://WWW.SUSTAINABLEBRANDS.COM/NEWS_AND_VIEWS/ARTICLES/WHY-REBUILDING-CITIES-NEED- BUILD-THEIR-BRAND Pick Boston Icon Famous Endorser InnovationTheme Social Media Slogan

11. Brand Your City: A recipe for success By Jonathan Baltuch

13. The Riskiest Bet of All: Why Atlantic City Needs to Find Its Brand Posted by Corey Lewis on September 11, 2014 11:01 AM In 2006, Atlantic City and Las Vegas were the American capitals of casino, with AC pulling in over $5.2 billion in revenue—a milestone for the resort town. Eight years later, the Jersey Shore city's intake has nearly been halved and debt continues to shutter casino hotels one, after another, after another. Three casinos have already closed, including the iconic Showboat, shiny, two-year-old Revel, and the Atlantic Club, while Trump Plaza plans to hang its hat next week and Trump Taj Mahal just filed for bankruptcy. By 2017, Deutsche Bank predicts that there will only be six casinos left along the storied boards.

14. The Riskiest Bet of All: Why Atlantic City Needs to Find Its Brand Posted by Corey Lewis on September 11, 2014 11:01 AM "Do AC," Despite an ongoing travel campaign, "Do AC," that launched in 2010—touting the shore town's family-friendly attractions beyond the casinos, and an infusion of new properties, restaurants and nightlife offerings—Atlantic City this year has seen some of its lowest levels of attendance gamblers. Yet beyond competition, AC has a branding problem. In its attempts to become the mini-Las Vegas, some Atlantic City resorts have lost sight of their core demographic: gamblers.

15. The Riskiest Bet of All: Why Atlantic City Needs to Find Its Brand Posted by Corey Lewis on September 11, 2014 11:01 AM Much of it comes back to the Atlantic City Alliance's three- year-old "Do AC" campaign that promised visitors anything and everything—an effort to position Atlantic City “beyond just gaming to attract more leisure tourism.” But Do AC's message creates a conflict between Atlantic City's past and its future—only further diluting what might attract potential visitors to make the drive to the seaside city, especially as competing casinos pop up in their backyard.