The “Athenticity” branding project
(Re)branding the city of Athens
We are the “Athenticity” team, consisted of Cultural Management students, Maro Panagi, Dimitris Panopoulos, Artemis Papadaki and Chrysa Tsalafouta. In this semester we embarked on a journey of city branding, as part of the Athens Co-Creation City Branding Project, aiming at constructing together an alternate branding strategy of Athens. In doing so we had to ask ourselves: what do we find inspiring and authentic in the city and what would we aspire to change?
What is city branding?
The first stop of our journey was traveling to cities from different continents and getting to know major European cities. More specifically we examined what a resilient strategy is and how different cities and cultures foster a city branding based on resilience.
Athens’ current branding
The next step would be of course to land in the city of Athens. The resilient strategy of Athens promotes a vibrant, green, open and proactive city. All these pillars are central in the branding of the city, as well as the “This is Athens” strategic pillars: citizens, visitors, entrepreneurship. At the same time we examined the city’s image on international and national media as well as international rankings, gaining a new perspective of the strong and weak aspects of Athens. We, thus, created a SWOT analysis, in which we based our branding proposal.
Who are the stakeholders?
Along with mapping Athens’ stakeholders we created our user personas, because branding is always connected with and designed by the people. Therefore, we conducted interviews with different types of people residing in Athens, which helped us create our own strategy for a better experience of the city. It is quite remarkable that the interviews actually reaffirmed our SWOT analysis but also gave us a new perspective on creating an impactful and holistic city branding.
Check our Miro map here!
Our narrative
Our branding plan, named “Αθenticity,” (Athenticity), coming from the words Athens & Authenticity, centers around embracing and highlighting the authentic sides of Athens. Focusing on the unique and genuine cultural characteristics that define our city, we can create a powerful force for community development and a stronger sense of identity.
Authenticity is not a static concept; it evolves and adapts over time. With this in mind, “Αθenticity” embraces the dynamic nature of our cultural heritage, welcoming new influences while preserving the essence that makes Athens so special.
Athens, with its rich history, vibrant people, and breathtaking built and natural environment, possesses a wealth of one-of-a-kind features that set it apart. Our goal is to harness these qualities and showcase them to the world.
Our strategy
Our strategy is based on six pillars which were highlighted through our research: Technology, Education, Culture, Urban Design, Eco & Sustainability and Health & Wellness. We also created three sub-pillars: citizens, visitors and entrepreneurship, since we wanted to encompass the current strategy of the municipality of Athens, and further develop it. Therefore, the actions of every pillar have an impact on the three sub-pillars that we have set. But let us further introduce our actions!
- Technology: Bridging millenia
Technology and innovation lie of course in the core of every strategic branding. Amidst timeless landmarks, Athens is quickly becoming a dynamic tech hub. Based on our city’s unique blend of rich history and burgeoning technological progress, we aim at fostering an ‘Authentic Athens’ in the technology sector. Our purpose is to cultivate a vibrant technology scene that coexists harmoniously with our cultural heritage. Through the implementation of forward-thinking initiatives such as technology education programs, digital literacy campaigns, and a ‘Smart City’ plan, we aim at enhancing the lives of our residents and offering enriched experiences to our visitors. By encouraging collaborations between local startups and global tech companies, we aim at positioning Athens as a global tech hub that bridges the past with the future. In essence, we aspire to create a technology sector that is authentically Athenian, echoing our city’s spirit of innovation and carrying its celebrated legacy into the future.
The actions we suggest:
- Authentic Connectivity: Develop digital literacy programs in local schools and community centers, while establishing public Wi-Fi zones across the city
- Techonology 3D: Implement augmented reality solutions at historical sites to enhance visitor experience and develop a multilingual city app
- Authentic Innovations: Launch a tech startup incubator and organize hackathons and startup competitions in collaboration with universities and tech companies
2. Education: Reclaiming knowledge
Athens was in antiquity the center of knowledge and culture. Since Athenticity is aiming at reclaiming the roots while enhancing a contemporary city, we aspire to reintroduce Athens as a unique academic center and conference hub, highlighting the continuity of the city. Our strategy is based on the high ranking of greek universities, the emerging academic city branding (e.g. Manchester), which is also enhanced by the wider extroversion mentality of academic institutions of Athens and Greece. Our purpose is to increase openness of educational practices & institutions and create initiatives for entrepreneurship, as education will be connected with the market. The strategy also aims to boost Athens’ academic status and therefore attract visitors.
Actions that we propose include:
- Expansion of international academic co-operations
- Support and promotion of Erasmus+
- Re-introducing Athens as an international conference hub
- “Authentic Insight”: Encourage ed-tech startups and entrepreneurial education programs
3. Culture: Athens as an alternative cultural hub
Our city is rich in culture and heritage, its ancient landmarks standing testament to its illustrious past. Yet, Athens is not a city anchored solely in the past. We celebrate our heritage while also nurturing a thriving contemporary culture scene. We aim to foster a creative environment that encourages new artistic expression, be it in performing arts, visual arts, literature, or music. Thus, we are maintaining our ‘Authentic Athens’ — a city that takes pride in its past, cherishes its present, and eagerly anticipates its future.
The actions we propose are the following:
- Cultural routes:
Cultural Routes aim to act as the driving force for a region’s sustainable development (economic, social, and environmental), as well as to connect great cultural monuments or expreriences with a region’s local entrepreneurship and primary sector production. These routes can include the following: museum tours, famous streets with street musicians tours, sculptures in public spaces tours e.g. (Dromeas, Memorial of National Reconciliation) - Food hub / nightlife:
a) Initiate a “Taste of Athens” program where residents can participate in cooking classes, learning to make traditional Athenian dishes. This can promote community bonding and a deeper appreciation for local culinary traditions.
b) Establish a “Gastronomy Innovation Hub” that supports entrepreneurs interested in exploring innovative food and beverage ideas. This could range from modern interpretations of traditional Greek dishes to sustainable food production methods and unique dining concepts.
4. Urban Planning: Embodying the ethos of ‘Building Tomorrow, Honoring Yesterday
The city of Athens is a vibrant tapestry woven from threads of the old and the new. As the city that has stood as a testament to human civilization’s resilience and creativity, the urban planning sector plays a crucial role in this delicate balancing act. ‘Athentic Athens’ in urban planning is about intertwining the threads of our ancient cityscape with the demands of a modern metropolis. It’s about creating an urban environment that respects our historical landmarks while catering to the contemporary needs of residents, visitors, and entrepreneurs. The issues of gentrification, affordable housing and climate change urge for a commitment to sustainable development, community well-being.
Actions on sustainable and ethical urban planning:
- creation of city-wide bike lanes (e.g. Copenhagen)
- enhancement of Athens’ public transportation system with a focus on sustainability
- creation of “periptera” tours, promoting local and small businesses
- fostering adaptive reuse of abandoned buildings
5. Eco & Sustainability: AthenSUSTAIN: Unveiling Authentic Eco-Power
‘Athentic Athens’ embraces the city’s deep respect for its natural environment and the Greek tradition of harmonizing with nature. The eco-sustainability sector is more than just an industry — it is a testament to our city’s aspiration to create a sustainable future while honoring its past. This narrative is one of green initiatives, sustainable practices, and a collective commitment to preserving the Athenian ethos in harmony with its environment. It is about recognizing that our city’s greatest strength lies not only in its rich history but also in its forward-thinking approach to sustainability. Through collaboration with the municipality and partnership with local universities we propose:
- the creation of “Authentic” green spaces
- the promotion of eco- friendly tours
- introducing social gardens and upcycling.
- the investment on stray animal welfare.
6. Health & Wellbeing: Ancient Roots, Healthy Futures
The health and wellness sector under “Athenticity” is not merely a set of services, but an embodiment of a lifestyle that is intrinsic to this city. This sector aims to honor these traditions and blend them with modern medical advances and wellness trends, making Athens a beacon of holistic health and well-being. Through proposed actions, the vision is to engage locals and visitors alike in this culture of well-being and transforming the city into a wellness tourism destination. This could be part of sustainable well-being practices embedded in Athens’ lifestyle, from outdoor yoga sessions under the Parthenon to therapeutic walks in the National Gardens. This initiative could attract wellness-conscious travelers looking for an authentic revival experience.
Suggested actions to promote wellness:
- focus on Athens as a wellness tourism destination
- supporting Health-related Start-ups and Medical Technology Innovation:
The Outcomes of the journey
Athenticity is a branding strategy that aspires to preserve what locals identify as authentic but at the same time develop the city and overcome contemporary challenges. Most importantly, it is a realistic strategy that does not negate the so far strategic thinking, but uses it as a core to build and design a more “authentic” city. Therefore, what we keep from the current city branding is the strong cultural capital of the city that needs to be highlighted, as well as the vivid nightlife and the vibrant atmosphere that transcends to the visitors. At the same time the wellness factor is also of great importance for the residents and needs to be worked on further.
On the other hand, this whole journey inspired us to evolve many aspects of Athens. Rankings show that more initiatives should be carried out in order to promote Athens as a tech-hub and start-up hub. We need to focus on innovation, implementation of new technologies, as well as sustainability and urban design.
Athenticity engages in its core all these factors that after all create an “authentic” experience for locals and visitors as well. Our purpose was to create a holistic strategy that includes all major pillars,which are applicable to the city’s stakeholders and conform to the sustainable development goals. In the end, what we aim at is a city that is authentic and innovative, a city that feels real and is livable but at the same time an innovative city that incorporates new technologies.
We would like to sincerely thank our professor Betty Tsakarestou for her kind guidance throughout this wonderful journey!
Bibliography
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Wageningen University & Research (2022). Semi-structured interviews https://mspguide.org/2022/03/18/semi-structured-interviews/
Wilder C. (2018). Athens, Rising. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/18/travel/athens-after-the-economic-crisis
Sources
https://diazoma.gr/en/ancient-paths/
