The importance of advertising in becoming a brand city: Semiotic analysis of advertisements of brand cities in Turkey

In the current era, cities have taken the place of products and services as the main focus of marketing. People want to study, live, work and invest in branded cities. A city that successfully becomes a brand will become preferred, leading to both financial and non-financial benefits. Therefore, city managers work towards making their cities desirable and branded, employing necessary marketing activities. Advertisements, being an important communication tool, are frequently used in marketing efforts due to their effectiveness and positive outcomes. City managers often choose advertisements to quickly reach their target audience with information about the city's history, nature, tourist attractions, activities, and ongoing projects. This study explores the importance of advertising in becoming a branded city and attempts to reveal how branded cities utilize it. A joint research by Brand Finance and Curiocity in 2019 identified the brand strengths and values of major cities in Turkey. Based on this research, the advertisements of the top ten cities that have achieved branding were analyzed using a semiotic approach.