How to Brand a City (Are You Listening, Cleveland?)

Posted by Andrea Fjeld, 03 Aug 2011

As geographically stable as most cities are, their identities shift over time. Pittsburgh was the symbol of American muscle in the '50s and '60s; today it’s a poster child for urban decay. New Orleans evolved naturally from frontier military port to bead-strewn decadence hotspot…then a disaster took it straight to Desperation City, literally overnight. How people feel about a city can mean all the difference between the heaven of tourism millions and rising property values and the hell of the butt of national jokes (see Pittsburgh, Cleveland, etc.) Identity is big business, and that means branding.

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A Brooklyn State of Mind Invasion

Posted by Andrea Fjeld, 08 Jan 2011
I ♥ NY? More like I ♥ BK! Over the past twenty-plus years, The Island has been ceding its monopoly on cool as the southeastern borough gains popularity. Brooklyn has long been defined by experimentation and innovation, and today it draws creative minds from around the world to its pleasant brownstones and industrial lofts. And of course, businesses are eager to capitalize on Brooklyn's cutting-edge appeal, with a growing number of Brooklyn-branded goods popping up in New York and internationally. What happens when a borough becomes more than just a borough? We examine the complexities of the Brooklyn brand after the jump.
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A Party Favor Greater than the Sum of its Parts

Posted by Martin Mulkeen, 30 Nov 2010
A couple weeks ago, I attended a fundraiser at the Brooklyn Brewery for the New York-based nonprofit IOBY (In Our BackYards), an organization that connects supporters and volunteers to environmental projects in their neighborhoods. Attendees sipped tasty cocktails, perused the silent auction tables, and examined exhibits showcasing IOBY's work. But the evening's real kicker came in the form of a killer party favor: the gift of giving someone else the gift of giving a gift to IOBY. What? Here's how it works.
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Nike, Timberland & Co. Knock It Off For Haiti

Posted by Luke Dringoli, 10 May 2010
Knock-offs, like those Coach handbags you find on Canal Street, ain’t legal. These fakers hurt the real brands—both in their credibility and in their pockets. The 'po frequently bust manufacturers and dealers, hauling in purses, glasses, jeans, etc. by the truckload. Hey, you don’t need a lecture. On the other hand, imagine a brand with the chance to fashion a positive PR opportunity out of its rip-offs. Nike, Timberland and many others swallowed their pride and did just that, making us all proud in the process.
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