Brand Musings

Over the years, the city I have made my home has grown on me. Having lived in bigger cities like Delhi and Bangalore, the idea of living in Cochin took time getting used to. But today when I think about it there are probably very few places that can boast of the benefits that Cochin has. A recent news article on the branding of Cochin’s current pet peeve, the Metro, came practically alongside an article that mentioned Cochin as Kerala’s choice for the Indian government’s smart cities project and the selection of an agency to develop the detailed project report. The two articles together got me thinking on the opportunities that Cochin had to project its unique character and position itself as an attractive destination for tourists and residents. What Cochin needs, I feel, is to brand itself. In today’s globalized world cities compete with each other to attract investment, tourism and people – trade, tourism and talent, so to speak – because cities prosper when its citizens prosper