Branding or sharing?: The dialectics of labeling and cooperation in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network

Abstract

This article presents the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) and illustrates the theoretical and practical reasons underpinning its creation, based on the assumption that culture should be a strong component of effective development strategies. It then describes the effective functioning of the Network, and highlights two main tendencies resulting from diverse interpretations of what membership and participation should imply: on one side, the propensity to use the UUCCN membership as a branding tool used in the framework of local communication strategies to attract investors and tourists; on the other side, the tendency to effectively work jointly with the cities of the network to build a stronger identity based of effective results through cooperation activities. The article underlines how the tendency to use the membership as classic branding tool has been so far very strong within the Network, and points out some implications and consequences of this trend. But it also underlines the existence of a strong trend towards more effective collaboration and joint implementation of activities. The article finally shows that an interaction between these two tendencies emerges. The possibility to reinforce the cities’ image and brand through effective joint action and not self-referential communication is then highlighted, as a synthesis that use cooperation to build internationally acknowledged excellence.