Truly Asia and global city? Branding strategies and contested identities in Kuala Lumpur

Abstract

Urban economic development is driven by service industries and innovation where quality of life, infrastructures and creative image play mutually reinforcing roles on the attractiveness of cities and tourism. Since 2010, the Malaysian government has embarked on the nation’s Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) that places Kuala Lumpur among the pivotal agents of change while becoming a competitive global city. Before that, the city had positioned itself as a multicultural and colourful tourism destination within the Malaysia, Truly Asia’s campaign framework. The aim of global positioning places Kuala Lumpur’s branding in a new and ambiguous situation. The current urban brand relies on contrasted, if not blurred, images, echoing a society with contested identities. This study aims to review the evolution of Kuala Lumpur’s image, and urban and tourism marketing strategies. It also aims to examine the urban branding of a nation-building upon Malay–Muslim values against the Global city branding favouring a more liberal agenda. It underlines the challenges in reconciling local values that stress on an essentialist perception of image with the global city values. The methodology used follows a case study approach. It takes into account a review of information in the public domain and analyses the promotional materials. The article is articulated around the conceptual framework of urban tourism as well as urban branding. The findings from this research reveal a pattern of top-down strategies that illustrates competing stories told by proponents and opponents of the urban project. On the basis of this research, the article argues for a specific framework of branding, when it comes to places, with competing narratives.