Mayor Tristan Vitt and Katja Teixeira (Managing Director of Stadtmarketing Siegen) welcomed the guests at the opening. Thorsten Kausch and Julia Staron from „Stadtmanufaktur“ led the morning’s proceedings as the moderating team. The Hamburg-based consultancy firm, which specialises in city marketing and brand development, has been supporting the development of the Siegen brand since the project began.

An online survey as a foundation

In his review, Florian Adam, who is responible for brand management at the city marketing, made it clear that the journey towards a city brand is not a sprint but a marathon. Unlike a product from a supermarket, a city profile cannot simply be invented at will – it is defined by its history, its location and, above all, by the local people. To uncover this authentic DNA of Siegen, more than 1,000 people took part in a major online survey in the run-up tot he project.

Thanks to the positive response, the results are valid. The high proportion of nature and woodland within the city limits ranked highly, confirming Siegen’s image as Germany’s ‚greenest major city‘. A second key point is the often underestimated economic strength, with many strong SMEs and ‚hidden champions‘. Further brand factors include Siegen’s vibrancy, combined with the university, that has established itself in the heart of the city, and the wide range of leisure and cultural activities on offer. „Yes, other cities can also claim some of these factors for themselves,“ explains Florian Adam. „It is the unique combination and characterisation of these elements that defines Siegen.“

A dialogue with citizens on equal terms

The fact that the Siegen brand is a topic of interest to the whole of the city’s community became clear in the afternoon, when the doors were opend to all interested parties. At various themed stations focusing on ‚the economy‘ , ‚cityscape & city life‘ and ‚the future‘, citizens were once again invited to share their views.

The city marketing team gathered valuable ideas, assessments and, importantly, critical comments. After all, a city’s image is largely shaped by the picture its residents paint of their home.

Partnership Programme and Brand Advisory Board

Following intensive preparatory work, the ‚Siegen Brand‘ is now moving into the implementation phase. To clearly position the city amidst regional competition, the city’s marketing strategy is based on two strong pillars: Firstly, a newly established Brand Advisory Board, which was unveiled at the Brand Day, brings together the expertise of various stakeholders from the city’s community.

Secondly, the new partnership programme offers regional businesses the opportunity to support campaigns and projects aimed at highlighting the qualities of their location both locally and beyond. The main driver behind this initiative is the growing shortage of skilled workers: in times of demographic change, a good job offer alone is no longer enough – Siegen must also appeal as a place to live in order to attract and retain talent in the long term.

Conclusion

„Direct dialogue with residents and stakeholders is, and will remain, a key element in bringing the Siegen brand to life in an authentic way,“ concludes Florian Adam. „Now it’s time to move on to the practical implementation. I’m looking forward to it, because the Brand Day has shown just how fruitful this dialogue is and the level of commitment and energy everyone involved  is bringing to the table.