Brand Urbanism: Brands as designers of public spaces

Structural change in city centers and tight budgets are shaping the work of urban development and place marketing. While funding programs are coming to an end, creative approaches are still needed to make urban spaces attractive.

Some cities have come closer to the goal of transforming their centers into “experience spaces”. However, many municipalities continue to struggle with citizens’ high expectations of an attractive and diverse city center. Cities are often unable to meet these challenges alone; cooperation with various stakeholders is seen as the key to success. This is where the concept of Brand Urbanism an.

A group of players in city center development that has received little attention to date are consumer brands, which are increasingly showing an interest in helping to shape public spaces. The term “brand urbanism” has been coined for such initiatives and projects, particularly in the international arena. This is not traditional advertising, but projects that create functional and aesthetic added value. Companies not only contribute financially, but also contribute their own design ideas in cooperation with cities.

Brand urbanism projects are usually financed via sponsorship or co-financing models (public-private partnership / PPP models). While the municipality benefits financially from the cooperation with brands, companies benefit from the permanent and subtle presence of their brand and the positive perception of their social commitment.

What initially sounds like a contradiction – after all, we in Germany have a very critical relationship with privatization, commercialization and advertising in public spaces – is increasingly developing into a valuable partnership:

Cities are faced with the challenge of making their public spaces even more attractive and functional – often with limited financial and human resources. Quite a few urban design measures are in the area of “voluntary services” and are therefore particularly at risk of being cut.

At the same time, brands are looking for new ways to authentically connect and interact with citizens. They are also affected by reluctance to buy, changing consumer behavior and increasingly critical customers (keyword: corporate social responsibility) and are looking for new ways to position themselves.

Cooperation between cities and consumer brands often results in innovative and creative solutions that not only improve the quality of life, but also open up new opportunities for use. If you talk to cities and companies that have already implemented similar initiatives, they often say: ” That was one of our most successful projects.

Although this type of collaboration between cities and brands offers numerous opportunities, it places very specific demands and conditions on all parties involved in its practical implementation. This is because public space is highly regulated and the planning of such projects requires a great deal of coordination and approval from a wide range of parties.

Successful implementation therefore requires a clear framework that encompasses legal, economic and design aspects:

• transparent rules for the presence of brands,
• a focus on the common good and
• close coordination between municipalities, companies and the population.

Bureaucratic hurdles and reservations – such as the fear of the commercialization of public space – must be overcome through open communication and participatory processes. Questions about care and maintenance also need to be clarified.

How and to what extent brands are allowed to appear in public spaces must be clearly and transparently regulated. The influence on the cityscape must be considered just as much as the protection of public space while safeguarding the common good. After all, space is limited and coveted, especially in our city centers, and the (subconscious) influence of citizens via various analog and digital channels is increasing.

Brands and cities must work together to ensure that the projects offer added value both aesthetically and functionally. Critical voices are not wrong to express their concerns. A current example of this is the popular initiative “Hamburg Werbefrei” (“Hamburg free of advertising”), which aims to impose greater restrictions on outdoor advertising in public spaces.

However, authentic and successful brand urbanism projects usually do not display large logos, but take a more subtle approach and use the associated brand colors discreetly, for example. But that also means:

Brand urbanism as a form of marketing can only be afforded by established, well-known brands and market-leading companies.

A successful example of brand urbanism is the redesign of two public sports grounds in Vienna by the mineral water manufacturer Vöslauer. The project was initiated and designed by the company and its creative agency in consultation with the respective districts. UV-reflective paint was used to enhance the courts not only aesthetically but also functionally, as it significantly reduces the temperature on hot summer days. The subtly branded choice of colors is based on the brand’s corporate design.

Vöslauer is turning two basketball courts in Ottakring and Donaustadt in Vienna into trendy meeting places for sports and socializing. In addition to the creative design, the focus is on cooling: the newly designed courts are not only a visual highlight in the middle of the city, but also reduce the heat in summer © Kalojan Paier

The costs were borne entirely by the company, with the aim of helping to build and strengthen the brand, particularly among a young, urban target group. At the same time, a contribution was to be made to climate adaptation.

This example underlines the added value that such projects can offer for the city, companies and urban society. can offer:

• Cities and citizens benefit from more attractive usage options and an upgraded public space,
• the company benefits from a positive image and increased acceptance and customer and brand loyalty.

Topics and trends such as brand urbanism, the impact of climate change on city life in Vienna and the sustainable revitalization of inner-city districts were discussed at #coolbleiben talks on the newly designed basketball courts © Stefan Panfili

Yvonne Haider-Lenz, Head of Marketing, Corporate Communications and Innovation at Vöslauer Mineralwasser GmbH on the newly designed basketball court in Vienna © Stefan Joham

Image credit: Stefan Joham, Kalojan Paier, Stefan Panfili