Monthly Archives: June 2012

by | 28/06/2012 · 09:53

Nemona: Integration through fashion in Neukölln, Berlin

Photo by Augustin Teboul 

by Claudia Rojas

This article is the second of a series that analyzes Nemona – Network for fashion designers and seamstresses -, in which we present stories of integration in Neukölln around fashion production.

As we have written before, the target group of our project are fashion designers and producers. The members of these two groups are mostly women, in particular because of their abilities and long experience in sewing and knitting, among others. Women with migration background often suffer more obstacles / difficulties when entering the labour market – that is why we decided to focus our initiative on this particular social group. This way, we could contribute to the integration process in Neukölln. Continue reading →

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by | 25/06/2012 · 14:00

“otto kalypse now” – a city marketing campaign becomes an (un)wanted self-runner

Advertising poster from a young theatre group in Magdeburg using the otto corporate design to advertise their theatre piece “otto kalypse now”

By Hanna Lutz

Wandering around my part-time hometown Magdeburg (the capital of Saxony Anhalt, Germany) these days one encounter its advertising spaces being paved over with giant posters that reveal that a guy named otto is a researcher, makes history, participates at the Olympic Games, makes politics, is a climate protector and likes to sing and drive electronic cars. Having a look at back streets, small cafés and private house parties one can find more printed information about otto – a bit less glamorous though: otto sleeps in, otto is procrastinating and otto even shuts down clubs. But it’s not what you think – otto isn’t a schizophrenic personality or an allround talent. otto is the result of a Scholz & friends city marketing campaign and what Magdeburg’s residents made out of it.

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by | 22/06/2012 · 11:21

Nemona: an urban analysis

by Claudia Rojas

Are we helping to create a better neighbourhood or are we dispensable in its development? This is a question that we ask ourselves when analysing city development projects like Nemona.

Nemona is a project that fosters a sustainable partnership between seamstresses and fashion designers in Neukölln, Berlin, and it has already been presented in this blog (see here and here). One year after beginning the project, we thought it would be a good idea to make an analysis of what it has been achieved so far. Therefore, we will offer a series of 3 articles with an overview of the venture. Today, we start presenting an analysis of whether the project has contributed to neighbourhood development in Neukölln (part 1). In the upcoming weeks, we will submit integration stories from the fashion producers (part 2), and stories of the fashion designers (part 3). Continue reading →

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by | 21/06/2012 · 07:53

Rejuvenating the social housing brand | Housing network | Guardian Professional

A lack of tenant participation in social housing must be addressed if image and reality are to come together.

“For those of us who care that social housing retains a non-commercial aim, we must actively contribute to developing the sector’s brand. There needs to be a better alignment between the sector’s image and its social and cultural identity.”

Read the full article by Dawn Prentice on The Guardian:

Rejuvenating the social housing brand | Housing network | Guardian Professional.

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by | 20/06/2012 · 09:00

More Innovations from Informal Settlements!

Spaza-de-Move-On self-built by street vendor Moses Gwiba in Durban, South Africa.

Spaza-de-Move-On self-built by street vendor Moses Gwiba in Durban, South Africa.

Lately it has become kind of a trend to talk or write about informal settlements – mainly about those in the southern hemisphere. Often these discussions are linked to the term Slum Upgrading. But what does this dubious term actually mean? And what are the innovations behind it like? As mentioned in one of my earlier entries, I am convinced that sooner or later urban societies from so-called developed countries will look for know-how from self-organizing communities satisfying local needs with local materials. Today I want to present some solutions invented in or for informal settlements. Continue reading →

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by | 19/06/2012 · 09:12

Website is online: Place Management and Branding Conference in Manchester 2013

Link to site: Place Management and Branding Conference.

Place branding, place management, place marketing, strategic spatial development, public-private place partnerships, all synonyms describing one thing – the application of business principles to place.  The language and conventions of business have spread across the world, to places of all scales, from district centre management through to nation branding.  This widespread extension of market principles to places (districts, towns, cities, regions, countries and even continents) is not without critics, with many economists explaining that it is firms that compete not places. Nevertheless, those charged with place leadership chant the mantra of place competition, hence the expanding business of place. Continue reading →

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by | 15/06/2012 · 12:00

Culture as a city development tool: Barranquilla, Colombia, American Capital of Culture 2013

Cumbiamba La Pollera Colora. 7 de diciembre 2005. Carnaval de Barranquilla

by Claudia Rojas

Last week while surfing the web, I found out that Barranquilla, Colombia, was selected “American’s Capital of Culture 2013”. For those who keep track of the cultural move in the Caribbean, I guess the award was not a surprise. On the contrary, it was an acknowledgment to the city, which has been a cultural symbol for many years now.

When the International Bureau of Cultural Capitals announced the recognition, its President, Xavier Tudela, argued that the city was chosen due to its “clear commitment to make culture a strategic element of social cohesion, civic revitalization, economic development and international promotion” (1). Even if the city as a whole is a cultural hub in the Caribbean, its main event is the Carnival of Barranquilla. The Carnival, having a history of more than three centuries, has been declared a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity by UNESCO. Continue reading →

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by | 14/06/2012 · 09:33

Marketing High-tech Regions, Part 2: Resident Identification in Nuremberg

By Hanna Lutz

It is not only companies that have become more and more aware of the importance of binding employees to them in the long term instead of only focusing on new staff and customers (Internal Employer Branding). Also city and region managers start to realize that their marketing efforts should not only involve the recruitment of skilled employees, investors, companies and tourists – but also address the residents in order to raise their identification with the city/region as well as their local or regional affiliation.

The blog entry Marketing of High-tech Regions (1): Karlsruhe “HighTech meets the Good Life”  already dealt with the issue of regional cooperation and their marketing tools aiming to attract external actors such as specialized personnel. This post will present another regional cooperation, the “Nuremberg Metropolitan Region” (NMR)  which focuses – besides the increase of attention in the international arena – also on the identification that its citizens themselves have with their city or region.

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by | 11/06/2012 · 12:19

Place Branding Literature: Work in progress

I have often been asked (mostly by students) what I would recommend them to read in terms of Place Branding & Marketing. I have put together a short list of recent articles (I have not included mine), that I find useful. If you have anything to add (not your own please), I’d be happy to update it in regular intervals:

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by | 08/06/2012 · 07:41

Not again with Berlin…

By Renard Teipelke

The expert seemed quite outraged hearing my question about Frankfurt am Main’s reputation as an economically strong capital of finance that lacks the alternative style and subcultural creativity of Berlin. I moved from Germany’s capital city to Frankfurt last year and have since then engaged various people in discussions about the cities’ different image and ‘urban atmosphere’. This time, we talked to an expert who works for the business incubator and creativity center of Frankfurt, MAINRAUM, and thus must have a biased take on the issue. Nevertheless, she brought up various aspects that I would like to share with you, because I think that her arguments (even though not totally new) are a fine example for understanding a city government’s perspective on the “creative city” debate. They might also convince some of the readers to readjust their picture of Frankfurt and Berlin (as well as similar cities). Continue reading →

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