Towards a New Paradigm in City Branding and Marketing

In rentier countries around the Gulf, a paradigm shift is certainly happening. Gulf States resorted to branding strategies which would secure a global recognition for their cities. The paper analyzes the effectiveness of tools used in Doha, the capital city of Qatar to create its own identity within the Gulf States and the rest of the Middle East. The analyzed tools will include City Uniqueness, Quality of Public Spaces, Signature Architecture, Events, Festivals, Cultural Tourism and Facilities. One of the main strategies used in Doha to articulate its brand is enhancing the ability of the city to host global Events, Festivals, and international sports. Competitions and cultural Carnivals. The research illustrates the use of Interesting Architecture, Cultural Facilities, Unique streets, Public parks, City natural and man-made Uniqueness as a City Marketing and Positive Branding Tools. The paper investigates crucial questions including the impact of the digital paradigm on the competitiveness of cities? How to regionally and globally market a city? What are the sustainable and resilient strategies for branding contemporary city? The paper also articulates a model for the case of Doha city banding and marketing which is based on a balanced approach. Such an approach would consider traditional assets including history and heritage. Also, it will include contemporary and innovative assets resulted from the last decade unprecedented investments in the sectors of education, research, culture and knowledge. Hence, the paper suggests a more holistic approach to city branding which would balance between social equity, economic prospertiy and ecological intergrity.