The next step in city marketing: from insight to impact

We are also seeing this change in practice. At Markteffect, we are noticing that more and more cities are making the transition from broadcasting to collaboration. Residents and entrepreneurs are no longer seen as a target group, but as partners. This makes sense: they experience on a daily basis what works well in the city and where opportunities or bottlenecks lie. By taking their knowledge and experiences seriously, policy and communication are better aligned with everyday reality.

From strategy to implementation

A city is not a brand on paper, but a community in motion. Whereas city branding used to be mainly about visibility and image, it is now increasingly about connectedness. People not only want to live in a city with a strong reputation, but also want to feel involved and be able to contribute actively.

Research and strategy form an important basis for this, but they are not enough. Real impact only occurs when insights are translated into concrete choices and visible actions. This is precisely where the challenge lies for many cities: how do you make ambitions around liveability, sustainability and pride tangible in the daily lives of residents?

It is precisely at this intersection between insight and action that an approach is needed that goes beyond research alone.

Case study: City Marketing Tilburg

City Marketing Tilburg demonstrates the importance of setting measurable goals and monitoring them systematically. Since 2015, the city has been working on a policy to put Tilburg on the map nationally and internationally, with the aim of making the city more attractive to residents, visitors, businesses and students. The new policy for 2023–2027 makes this even more concrete: success is measured using six indicators that show the impact of the policy. 

Markteffect has been supporting this for years with an annual, three-part study, which not only gives Citymarketing Tilburg insight into the progress of the KPIs, but also allows it to continuously optimise and justify its actions to the City Council. It shows how important it is to formulate clear, measurable objectives and to monitor them over time.

Onze extra mogelijkheden met The Relevance Group

With The Relevance Group, we are taking the next step in city marketing. Among other things, we combine local insights with smart segmentation, so that cities no longer have to serve one large target group, but can respond to micro-areas and specific groups. In addition, we help city marketers develop digital and interactive experiences, from virtual tours to short-form content, which further enhance the experience of residents and visitors. We also support data-driven city marketing, using sensors, AI and digital infrastructure to make the city measurably more liveable, attractive and visible.

Whether it's attracting new businesses, increasing tourist appeal or improving the living environment, we help cities move forward with this smart, technological and future-oriented approach.

Learning and collaborating together

At Markteffect, we conduct research for various city marketing organisations. Because these parties regularly face the same challenges, we like to bring them together to share knowledge and experiences. That is why we invited a number of companies to our Captains Lounge at the PSV Stadium. An evening to inspire each other, get to know each other better and watch the match against NAC together. Read all about this successful evening here.

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