How cities build soft power without advertising

In this article, Jibril Salifu, MCIM and Chartered Marketer, explores how cities cultivate soft power in various ways and how this translates into reputation and international influence. He discusses many lessons for marketers and policyholders on city branding strategies that drive tangible economic and social outcomes. 

Cities now compete globally for talent, investment, tourism and influence. Marketing campaigns can increase awareness, but long term advantage is shaped more by lived experience than by promotional messaging. In this context, soft power has become a key asset for successful cities.

The idea of soft power, developed by political scientist Joseph Nye, refers to the ability to influence through attraction rather than force or financial incentives. At the city level, soft power grows from everyday systems. These include reliable transport, safe public spaces, visible culture and governance that supports opportunity. When these elements work consistently, they build trust. That trust shapes decisions about where people choose to live, study, work, invest or visit.

City soft power can also be measured. Perception research such as the Brand Finance Global City Index assesses how international audiences view cities across familiarity, reputation and consideration, alongside factors like business climate, liveability, culture, governance and sustainability. Findings show that influence strengthens when a city’s identity matches real experience.

This article argues that cities build soft power less through advertising and more through the combined effect of policy, infrastructure, culture and experience. Advertising can support reputation, but it rarely creates it. Understanding these drivers offers practical lessons for marketers and policymakers seeking to connect city branding with real social and economic outcomes.

How city soft power actually works

City soft power does not come from communications alone. Marketing can amplify perception, but perception is grounded in reality. At a structural level, city soft power operates through three connected dynamics: credibility, experience and narrative.

Credibility comes from institutional performance. When governance is predictable, infrastructure works well and public systems support innovation and quality of life, a city signals competence. Investors, businesses and skilled professionals read this as lower risk and greater opportunity. Consistent delivery builds trust and strengthens reputation.

Building on this credibility, experience makes soft power visible. Visitors, residents, students and entrepreneurs form impressions through everyday interaction with culture, services, public spaces and the social environment. These impressions spread through professional networks, communities and digital platforms. Because they come from direct experience, they often influence perception more than paid promotion.

Linking credibility with experience, narrative shapes a city’s identity. Cities that express a sense of purpose, whether focused on innovation, culture, sustainability or opportunity, help global audiences understand what they stand for.

For marketers and policymakers, the message is straightforward. City branding works best when it grows from coordinated systems rather than messaging alone. Soft power is the result of alignment between governance, culture, economic development and communication.

Core non-advertising levers cities use to build soft power 

According to the Brand Finance Global City Index, top cities strengthen soft power by delivering on key perception pillars rather than relying on advertising. For example, the latest Index ranks London first globally, followed by New York City and Paris.

Governance is one of the most influential yet least visible communicators. Political stability, safety and ethical standards shape perceptions of risk long before a city promotes itself. Reliable public systems act as a form of silent messaging that builds trust over time.

Cultural depth provides another pathway to influence. Heritage, creative industries and public events create ongoing experiences that residents and visitors share across networks. In Paris, global recognition is reinforced not only by landmarks but by daily cultural life. Events such as the 2024 Summer Olympics increase visibility, but long term influence comes from continuous cultural experience.

Lifestyle and social atmosphere also matter. Cities that feel inclusive, energetic and engaging generate reputation through word of mouth and user-generated content. New York’s strong ranking shows how diversity and everyday urban life shape perception beyond formal branding.

Infrastructure and sustainability offer visible signals of future readiness. The strong performance of Tokyo and the continued rise of Dubai illustrate how efficient transport, clean environments and business-friendly systems influence global consideration.

In practice, the pattern is clear: soft power grows when cities focus on what people experience firsthand. 

Why advertising often falls short for city soft power

Advertising can increase awareness quickly. High visibility campaigns, international media placements and digital storytelling often improve familiarity. Visibility brings cities into conversation and shapes first impressions. However, familiarity is only the starting point of influence.

The deeper dimensions of soft power, reputation and consideration, depend more on lived experience than exposure. These reflect whether people trust a city, see opportunity and can imagine themselves living, studying, investing or working there. Because these judgements are linked to housing affordability, safety, infrastructure, governance and social climate, campaigns alone have limited impact.

Leading cities illustrate this gap. London maintains strong visibility and cultural influence, yet affordability and aspects of liveability affect consideration. Similar patterns appear in Paris and New York City, where high familiarity coexists with concerns about cost, congestion and everyday quality of life. These factors shape longer term decisions more than promotional messaging.

This highlights a broader principle. Advertising can communicate promise, but it cannot fix structural gaps across the perception pillars. When messaging emphasises lifestyle, sustainability or safety without matching improvements in daily experience, audiences notice the difference. In a media environment shaped by peer reviews, rankings and social platforms, inconsistencies weaken credibility.

There is also an economic dimension. Campaigns create short term visibility but require ongoing spending. Positive experience, by contrast, generates organic advocacy that builds over time. Resident storytelling, visitor sharing and professional networks act as distributed communication channels that reinforce credibility at lower cost. The implication is not to abandon advertising but to reposition it.

Lessons for marketers and policymakers 

City soft power develops through credible systems, meaningful experiences and narratives that reflect lived reality. For those shaping perception, the key lesson is that marketing cannot replace delivery. Its role is to interpret progress, coordinate stakeholders and translate tangible change into reputation.

Performance in foundational systems strongly influences perception. Improvements in governance, infrastructure and urban services signal reliability before messaging is encountered. Experiential initiatives are equally important. Cultural programming, education ecosystems and innovation communities create interactions that audiences trust because they can observe them directly. Creative industry clustering and festivals in Barcelona, alongside continuing cultural and entrepreneurial activity in Paris, demonstrate how sustained experience generates visibility beyond campaign cycles.

Narrative alignment links policy and perception. In Riyadh and Jeddah, infrastructure, cultural investment and economic development have reshaped how the cities are seen. When narrative moves ahead of real progress, credibility suffers.

Measurement is another critical lesson. Perception tracking through tools such as the Brand Finance Global City Index helps cities identify gaps between performance and reputation. For marketers, this functions as a strategic dashboard that shows which achievements need amplification and where policy attention is required.

Conclusion 

Cities continue to compete for talent, investment, tourism and influence in a crowded global landscape. Visibility alone is no longer enough. The most influential cities, including London, Paris, New York City, Tokyo and Dubai, show that lasting soft power comes from consistently delivering what people value. Safe streets, strong culture, inclusive communities, efficient transport and a positive daily experience shape perceptions that feel authentic and endure beyond any campaign. These elements are reflected in the pillars of the Brand Finance Global City Index.

The core insight is straightforward. Audiences expect evidence. Promises without delivery are quickly exposed. When cities invest in governance, culture, sustainability and infrastructure, perception shifts naturally. Reputation strengthens, consideration increases and people choose these places to visit, study, work, live or invest. Much of this influence spreads through resident stories, visitor feedback and social networks rather than paid advertising.

For marketers, this reframes city branding. The task is less about inventing attractive narratives and more about interpreting real progress. This involves helping city teams review performance across the pillars, address gaps and highlight initiatives that matter to audiences.

Looking ahead, cities that succeed will prioritise authenticity over promotion. Branding needs to be treated as part of governance rather than a standalone communications activity. Soft power builds gradually as credible systems, meaningful experiences and clear narratives reinforce each other. Cities that invest in experience first and communication second will shape international perception more effectively. Soft power is not declared. It is earned.

If you want to learn more about strategic marketing, sign up for CIM's Introduction to Strategic Marketing training course now. You'll learn how to create a strategy statement that identifies your strategic priorities and actions.