Scottish Cities Alliance

Scottish cities recently had the opportunity to delve into the concept of “Place Branding” at the “Joining the Dots” event held in Dublin. Place branding plays a pivotal role for cities and regions across the UK and Ireland, serving as an influential tool to attract investment, stimulate tourism, and cultivate community pride. A well-constructed brand can transform perceptions, accentuate unique attributes, and stimulate economic growth.

The Alliance’s Participation

The Alliance participated in the “Joining the Dots” Connected Places Catapult in Dublin on the 11th and 12th of March. The event, centered around the theme of place branding, convened cities from across the UK and Ireland. The discussion revolved around the techniques and strategies of place branding and its application to the economic, political, and cultural development of cities and regions.

The Alliance is collaborating with “Joining the Dots” as part of its City Centre Recovery Peer-to-Peer network. The objective is to share best practices, enhance learning, and build networks. The Joining the Dots programme aims to achieve this on a larger scale by uniting local authorities from across the UK and Ireland. This collaboration facilitates discussions around shared challenges, opportunities, and areas of economic strength for businesses in their respective regions.

The Joining the Dots Project

The Joining the Dots project, initiated by the British Embassy in Cork and facilitated by Connected Places Catapult, was launched in 2018 by then Tánaiste Simon Coveney.

The Event

The two-day event commenced with a tour of Dublin’s Liberties neighborhood and a visit to the world-renowned Guinness Storehouse. The British Ambassador, Paul Johnston, and the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Daithí de Róiste, welcomed city officers from various cities across the UK and Ireland.

Speakers from across the UK and Ireland discussed how place branding shapes their offer. The Alliance was represented by Alex Harvie from Glasgow Life, Kirsty Easton from Perth and Kinross Council, and our policy lead Gillian McCallum.

Key Themes of Place Branding

Place branding serves several key functions:

• It shapes a community and enhances economic opportunities for citizens and businesses of all sizes, creating competitive commercial advantages.
• A robust place brand communicates why people should visit, open a business, or invest money there, future-proofing the city for success now and for decades to come.
• It fosters civic pride and empowers residents, contributing to the legacy of the destination and visual culture.
• It shapes and communicates a city’s unique image and identity, attracting residents, tourists, businesses, and investments.
• It provides a blueprint for strategic planning and infrastructure investment.
• It’s more than promotion; it’s about placemaking—ensuring the well-being of citizens, which in turn attracts skilled labour, lucrative investment, and visitors.

Future Events

The Dublin event marked the 12th occasion that the ‘Joining the Dots’ programme convened and the second time in the city of Dublin. ‘Joining the Dots’ is a programme that promotes economic development in UK and Irish regions through the sharing of best practices by local policy experts. The aim is to identify common challenges, and then explore solutions and opportunities for growth. Since its inception in 2018, the event has been hosted in over 10 different locations throughout the UK and Ireland.

The Alliance is delighted to announce that the next Joining the Dots event will be hosted in Aberdeen from the 5th to the 7th of June. The central question for discussion will be, ‘What do we want the future of our city centres to look like? And who are they providing for?’ We look forward to sharing knowledge and insights at this upcoming event.