City branding : a case study of Beijing

Abstract

of dissertation entitled ‘City Branding – A Case Study of Beijing’ Submitted by Ge Qin for the degree of Master of Arts in China Development Studies at The University of Hong Kong in Auguest 2008 Cities are usually associated in people’s minds with a single quality, promise, attribute or story. Managing the city brand becomes an attempt to influence and treat those mental maps in a way that is deemed favorable to the present circumstances and the future needs of the city. On July 13, 2001, Beijing was awarded in Moscow the right to host the 2008 Olympic Games. The Olympic Games makes it a good branding tool for this old Chinese city to improve the city image. Beijing has set the following goals for the Olympics: People’s Olympics, High‐Tech Olympics, and Green Olympics. However, it seems that Beijing is lacking an effective method to measure the success of any proposed branding efforts. The study illustrates the city branding theories and case studies of the previous Olympic cities that have positive brand images and continue to experience brand success. Besides, Beijing’s brand positioning and long‐term planning are carefully examined. The Olympic Action Plan is reviewed so as to explore the branding strategy of the Beijing Olympic Games. This study aims to provide insight into the way in which people, both visitors and non‐visitors, perceive Beijing, particularly in the area of city branding. Analyses of the current situation and the root causes of relative problems will be illustrated, followed by the application of the city branding strategies that are proposed to improve Beijing’s brand image.