Brand New York City

New York City has a unique feel of its own. Be it the Financial District or the Time Square, the Grand Central or the Central Park, the Little Italy or the Chinatown, every part of the city adds a unique value to its brand. No city in the World comes close to the way New York markets itself. The fast moving Subways, the New York Stock Exchange, the Lady Liberty, the Broadways and the exotic shopping complexes, New York’s got it all to mesmerize anyone and everyone. 

When it comes to brand development, I think NYC does it in a way that can teach even the biggest corporations a lesson or two. The city exploits every channel to showcase itself as the place to be. It attracts everyone towards it. Seinfeld to Saturday Night Live creates a great scene to display the life in New York. The NYSE showcases the financial opportunities in the city, Broadway and studios call upon the artists, and what better place to attract the marketers and advertisers than the Times Square?

The city of New York has put great efforts in order to uplift the brand image. Taking drastic measures to reduce the crime in the city and spending millions to keep subways at par with the rail system anywhere in the World are just to name a couple. And speaking of brand development, how can someone not mention the I Love New York campaign? I think the campaign is far above and beyond any other campaign of its sorts. Now running for about 3 decades (it was started by the New York State Department of Economic Development in 1977), it promotes the metropolitian pride of the New York City.

The brand NYC also does a great job connecting with its customers. If you think of each visitor to the city as a customer, the city does a great job of involving them in it. Two days in the city and you no longer feel like an outsider. Stretch your legs down the crowded streets, catch a few subways or have a meal in one of those New York delis, you will instantaneously get a feel of being a part of the great city.  

People are the most important assets of any company. Same is true with New York. New Yorkers form the blood flowing in the veins of NYC. People living the fast paced life of New York, moving along with the city in every New York minute and welcoming outsiders to the city adds tremendous value to the brand.

The great thing about the New York City’s brand promotion is that it so beautifully hides the miseries of the city while creating the bright picture. Despite the traces of crime and poverty, like a perfect advertiser, New York keeps attracting more and more people towards itself and keep adding to the brand equity. Now what will be really exciting to do here is a brand extension of NYC to perhaps other cities in the US and around the Globe!