What's in a name?
"Place branding" is the term coined to refer to the branding of cities and/or regions to improve their marketing image.
In essence, place -or urban- branding is a strategy to promote images and manage perceptions about places. Who does not immediately associate the logo "I love NY" with the city that never sleeps? Such branding induces affective responses from consumers, forming meaningful relationship between people and places.
For the last few years, Malaga has been promoted and known under the motto Málaga: ciudad genial: "Malaga: a brilliant city", an allusion to the "genius" of some its famous local sons, such as Pablo Picasso.
The public tender
A couple of years ago, the city hall decided to revamp the municipal branding in an effort to mark the city's ongoing growth evolution and new "vibe", stepping away from the bygone image of "sea and sun" and to show that the city is now much more than that, i.e. an important economic and culture hub.
In an effort to find the right image and motto, the city hall presented a competition (in the form of a public tender) among 22 marketing companies to present their rebranding projects.
The winners
The winners of the competition were presented at Malaga's Echegaray Theater on 27th June, a joint venture between local brand strategy and design studio companies bRIDA and Lizarraga Palau, who won the competition and presented the new tagline of the city: Malaga: ciudad redonda: "Malaga, an all-round city"
In Spanish, the word "redondo" literally means "round" but in coloquial language, when something goes "redondo", it acquires the sense of resounding, something really good or profitable. “Round” alludes to the complete city, something well achieved, the result of that perfect balance between life and work. Malaga is fullness. Malaga is perfect to live in. An all- round city.
The story behind the new city image and tagline
The purpose of this new image and tagline is to present Malaga as an open and cosmopolitan city which provides the high quality of life it provides, to showcase Malaga as an "all-round" city in all respects, a concept that the Mayor of Malaga, Francisco de la Torre, confessed to relate to fully.
Malaga, a city that has it all. A city of traditions and contradictions, love and detachment, change and reinvention, openness and mix, innovation and freedom. A lively, effervescent city, a reflection of life itself, where it manifests itself in all its fullness, without half measures. A city where it is possible to grow and develop, learn and enjoy, imagine and create, in other words, a complete city.
With regards to the accent on the "a" in a circular shape, the idea is inspired by Malaga itself, in its round, optimistic sun, which generates a unique light and climate.
Solaga - round and round we go
At Solaga Holiday Homes, we cannot help but feel proud that our own logo and brand image fits right in with the new image of our beloved city, an unequivocal sign that over our 15 years of existence, we have come full circle to embrace our city's ADN.
