LISBON: «a stark difference between image and reality»

Num artigo do Financial Times publicado no passado dia 18 de Agosto é divulgada a classificação do "branding" das 72 maiores cidades da Europa. O estudo, elaborado pela Saffron Brand Consultants, alerta para o facto de várias cidades se terem promovido internacionalmente como marcas fortes apesar de não terem "assets" e "attractions" de qualidade correspondente.

É dado o exemplo de Edinburgh, Glasgow e Liverpool que apesar de surgirem no grupo das 30 cidades mais atraentes para visitar são fracas em atracções turísticas quando comparadas com outras cidades ainda pouco "excitantes" como Sofia e Hamburg.

Lisboa foi classificada nº 16 em "assets" e "attractions" mas não passa da posição 27 no que toca a "glamour"... Esta contradição não é nenhuma novidade para quem vive e trabalha em Lisboa. Sabemos que Lisboa tem todos os ingredientes para ser uma "world-class city" - o problema é que temos também quase tudo desleixado, abandonado, em mau estado de conservação ou em vias de ser destruído, seja património natural ou construído. Estamos, literalmente, a destruir os ingredientes essenciais para contar a história e carácter únicos de Lisboa. Estamos a deitar fora o "branding" de Lisboa!

Londres, Paris e Barcelona surgem no topo da lista - continuam a ser os modelos a seguir:

«Saffron Brand Consultants warned that while many of the British cities had created strong brands internationally, other European cities that were underselling their attractions could quickly catch up once they started to promote their strengths. Conversely, British cities such as Manchester, Bristol and Newcastle, which had marketed their revival aggressively, were in danger of overplaying their attractions. “A number of Britain’s regional cities have talked a lot of their efforts to regenerate in the last decade,” said Jeremy Hildreth, head of place branding. “However, achieving a better brand requires more than building a new shopping mall, which is the approach some cities seem to have taken.”

It described the likes of Poland’s historic Krakow as “undervalued stocks” that could become a real threat to UK counterparts once they became better at selling their brands.

“There is a bunch of new European cities that need to get out there and tell their story, and in so doing they can forge ahead of their bland British counterparts,” said Mr Hildreth.

The study was based on a poll of 2,000 consumers to find out what people most wanted from a city. World-class cities such as Paris, London and Barcelona scored highly on both brand and assets, but others revealed a stark difference between image and reality. Berlin was seen as Europe’s third most exciting city, but was ranked 16th in its assets and attractions. Lisbon, Portugal’s capital, was rated equal to Berlin on assets, but only 21st in the glamour stakes.»

What makes a place truly great?

● Pride and personality

● Distinctive environment – landmark buildings, facilities, public transport

● Ambitious vision, with good leadership and buoyant economy

● Worth going out of the way to see

● Easy access and good public transport

● Conversational value – it is fun to talk about Edinburgh but not Bradford

● Location – it is somewhere special or a centre for an interesting area

Para ler o artigo completo: http://www.ft.com/

Foto: O Terreiro do Paço aos Domingos, uma imagem bem esclarecedora da falta de glamour da capital portuguesa.