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A blog about cities, higher ed, marketing and community by Lindsey Fair


Innovation Without Identity: The Differentiation Deficit
If every city is still trying to become the next Silicon Valley, then no city will be or is. In the race to build innovation ecosystems...
3 min read
Universities as Urban Beacons
Universities have always been more than places of learning—they’re hubs of innovation, culture, and community. But in today’s...
2 min read


Cities after COVID: Resiliency is about embracing the crisis as part of a new brand story
Cities as we know them are under attack thanks to COVID-19. Their growth, sustainability and ability to attract investment, tourism and...
1 min read


Growth Coalition vs the Commons: Who owns the city brand?
A picture’s worth a thousand words – Part 3 Methodology & Introduction to this Series >> Place-branding is a concept that has a long...
6 min read


The City vs The Hood: A Google Image Comparison
A picture’s worth a thousand words – Part 2 Methodology & Introduction to this Series >> "During the past thirty years, media images of...
4 min read


A picture’s worth a thousand words – Part 1
"A single photo is a not a 'data point' but a whole world, rich in meanings, emotions and visual patterns." Moritz Stefaner, Selfiecity...
4 min read


A 'curiosity' about slogans
Have we reached saturation or just laziness? Let me clarify what I'm referring to. Have you noticed the slogans around you lately?...
3 min read


Are city-brands resilient (as brands) post-crisis?
Economic crisis' and other categories such as crime, terror, political, or natural disasters are considered anathema in branding...
3 min read
Who's job is it, really?
Let's start with a quick history lesson: 2005 > Conference Board of Canada announces a significant skills gap among recent graduates....
3 min read


BEARDS, BEERS AND BOOKS: A curated HIPSTERFICATION WALK
Hipster chasing is the oh-not-so-new 'cool' in economic development strategies. Urban revitalization through youthification has become...
2 min read
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