Porto. brand travels to South Korea for the World Cities Forum

A historical, monumental, and contemporary city, and at the same time cosmopolitan, cultural and charismatic, that found all its characteristics in a single and very concrete idea. Born in 2014, and already established in the identity of Porto residents, the Porto. brand travelled to South Korea as an example of strategy. The first edition of the World City Brand Forum took place in Busan and was attended by experts from Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, and Germany.

Representing the Municipality of Porto, the Communication and Promotion department underlined how before the creation of the brand, the city had never seen itself reflected in a graphic design. Beyond design, by Studio Eduardo Aires, the Porto. brand has been living on emotional marketing campaigns, aimed at the population and those who visit the city, recognizing the need to segment the target audience according to the events.

Those who attended the panel "Trend and Marketing of Global City Brands" understood that the brand's strategy goes beyond the resolute logo: the emotional connection strengthens with the set of icons linked to the visual memory of Porto, but also with common iconography of city life such as the heart, the tree or even a bicycle, referring to the typical tile, which allows the infinite growth of references.

In South Korea, the Municipality recognized how “positioning a city in people's minds brings effective revenues, starting with business investment, tourism or urban rehabilitation to regenerate the built heritage”. "Above all, city branding has to do with people's feelings", he says. And “as long as the Porto. brand creates emotional and strong bonds, it will be here to stay”.

The president of Busan underlines that “we are living in the era of the brand of cities”. “As the global era comes into full swing”, Park Heong-joon believes, “the city's branding has become an essential task in ensuring the sustainable development of cities and increasing their competitiveness”.

It is recalled that the Porto. brand has already been distinguished by the North American Graphics awards, by the British D&AD, and won "Best of Show" and "Best Brand Implementation" at the European Design Awards.