The 2020 Global Talent Competitiveness Index ranks 132 countries and 155 cities for their ability to attract, grow and retain talent. What can we learn from cities who have mastered the art of competing for talent against the economic might of the tier one cities?

Faced with an ageing and declining population, many rural communities today are having to fight to preserve their economies. But rather than competing against major cities on an unfair playing field, rural areas are recognising that there is an opportunity to capitalise on their own assets.

The City Nation Place Awards set the benchmark for quality place brand and communication strategies around the world – what lessons can we learn from the winning case studies of 2019?

Most Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) today rely to some degree – if not a great extent – on traditional survey research. Surveys enable DMOs to ask tailored questions to a targeted demographic, resulting in meaningful insights. Surveys are, and will continue to be, an important component of marketing and branding strategies.

When countries are trying to create a Country Brand strategy, they frequently do it without a strategic approach in mind and often lack a proven methodology or model for doing so. In practice, these countries learn the process as they progress and consequentially make unforeseen mistakes. As they lack comprehension of this task’s complex nature, they don't manage the process effectively.

The effect of a country’s national image on its home-grown brands and the economy as a whole is now widely acknowledged. But how exactly do place brands boost corporate brands?

Digital presence, search results and online reputation. In today’s fast-paced world there’s no way around the growing importance of this correlated pyramid. Countries, regions and cities already know that their Place Brand needs to be strategically managed in terms of having a strong digital presence to achieve great search results, based on a positive online reputation.

Among the many tantalizing tropes trotted out by diplomats and China watchers is one popularized in the late fifties by John F. Kennedy: that the Chinese word for “crisis” 危机 weiji is a combination of two characters for “danger” and “opportunity.''

Weiji sure does seem timely. Global turmoil inspires caution and deliberation, but also resolve and visionary action.