How do you re-brand a city successfully? Thirty years on from the creation of their original brand, the City of Mississauga decided to relaunch their place brand strategy to bring their identity in line with the diverse population of the city. But how have they made this ambition a reality?

There have been many placemaking projects to reclaim disused areas and transform them into green public spaces, but none have the audacity of Raleigh’s 308-acre Dorothea Dix Park project. Sean Malone, President and CEO, of Dorothea Dix Park Conservancy to discover how citizen engagement and collaboration are at the core of their strategy.

Brand Scotland's collaborative approach sets it apart from many other place brand organisations. With six different agencies involved, Cat Leaver, shares how stakeholder management is key to the success of the collaboration.

What does digital transformation actually look like in the destination marketing and investment promotion space? Emma Håkansson, Head of Destination Development for the City of Helsingborg, Sweden, explained how they transitioned from tourist information centres to a digital-first approach.

How can rural destinations differentiate themselves with a clear place branding strategy? Andrew Redden, Hastings County's manager for tourism and economic development, outlines the challenges they face and how collaboration can unlock new opportunities.

Inga Hlin Palsdottir, Director of Visit Iceland at Promote Iceland outlined how your place brand can address this holy trinity and ensure your strategy is sustainable.

From a new brand, to an innovative and sustainable funding model, Travel Manitoba has undergone massive change. Colin Ferguson, CEO at Travel Manitoba, outlined how they put Manitoba on the map and the thought processes behind some of their decisions.

Eindhoven have taken the world stage by storm, winning the 2018 City Nation Place Award for Place Brand of the Year. Peter Kentie, Managing Director at Eindhoven 365, took the time to share the thinking behind their repositioning, and to explore their innovative approaches to funding and stakeholder engagement.

Following the terrorist attacks of 2015, the Paris Convention & Visitors Bureau had to add to its usual B2B marketing focus with communications to reassure the consumer audience. Alice Rampelberg, Marketing B2C and E-Commerce Director at the Paris Convention & Visitors Bureau, explained how Paris have reinforced their global tourism brand as well as how collaboration with London is opening the door to more American tourists.

There are just a few short days left until the City Nation Place Awards shortlist is announced for 2020! We took the opportunity to ask one of our jurors, Adam Joyce, VP of Acceleration, Calgary TELUS Convention Centre, to share a few of his thoughts around the key challenges facing place branders as we head in to the new decade.

With the new decade looming large on the horizon - and technology continuing to develop rapidly - how will place branding need to evolve to face the new challenges? Jos Vranken, Managing Director at NBTC Holland Marketing, shared a few of his predictions for the future of place branding.

Promoting a destination can be a challenge when its overshadowed on the world stage by another city. But for Kim Heinen, International Press Officer at Rotterdam Partners, embracing your differences – and even your “quirky and ugly sides” can be the key to reaching an audience who truly appreciate your place. We caught up with Kim before the City Nation Place Global conference to get a quick sneak preview of the work that Rotterdam have been doing.