City branding extends far beyond logos and slogans. It is a comprehensive process that integrates a city’s values into urban planning and supportive policies, cultivating an authentic and compelling city image. The success stories of Melbourne and Shanghai offer valuable lessons for Vietnamese cities that want to establish their unique identities. A costly “M” of Melbourne In 2009, Melbourne began a bold rebranding journey to project a more modern and dynamic image, replacing the city’s longstanding leaf logo from 1992. This ambitious effort, managed by Landor Associates, became one of the most expensive city branding projects globally, with a total cost of US$650,000. Despite initial skepticism from locals, the London-based consultancy’s Sydney branch spent seven months deeply immersed in Melbourne, conducting stakeholder workshops and refining brand concepts to capture the city’s unique character. The new logo—a clean, blocky “M” in shades of blue and green—alone cost US$200,000. The high expenditure drew criticism from taxpayers and media, but the results soon justified the investment. Within a year, Melbourne’s GDP grew by 6%. By 2012, overnight visitor numbers rose by 4.5%, and tourism revenue reached US$15.2 billion. Melbourne’s rebranding also solidified its position among the world’s most livable cities in the years […]