The most common context in which we use the word branding is relating to a business or service. Whether it’s personal branding or creating a brand identity for your business, we look at branding as an exercise in creating a certain image for a business. However, branding can go outside the business arena into a variety of different areas.

I think we can all agree that cities can have their own personal brands. Look at Las Vegas, for example. If you say the words “Las Vegas” to someone, more often than not, they are going to have a preconceived idea about what Vegas represents. Las Vegas has clearly established itself as a brand. With the brilliant “What Happens in Vegas” campaign, Las Vegas reasserted its brand as a city without limits where you can do anything you want to do and be anyone you want to be.

Some cities have even gone beyond their city status to become brands for other reasons. Consider Hollywood for a moment. Despite the fact that there is only one major film studio in the actual city of Hollywood (Paramount Studios), Hollywood has been branded as the entertainment capital of the world. Hollywood has become a euphemism for the entertainment industry as a whole, not just a city in California.

Almost every large city has its own identity or brand. Cities like New York City, Boston and Miami have an instant recognition factor and distinct flavor. So the question for this post is this: Does your city have a distinct brand and if it does, what is it?