How would your city’s brand stack up in the world?

To get that answer, it’s a matter of asking thousands of people around the world the right questions, and leading advisor Simon Anholt and global research firm GMI have done just that through the Anholt City Brands Index.

Here are their six categories of questions, and the kinds of questions any city should ask of itself:

Presence – a city’s international status and standing – How important is this city to the world? Is there a reason to visit there?
Place – a city’s beauty, climate and other physical attributes – Is it nice to be here, is it beautiful?
Potential – a city’s economic and educational opportunities – What’s in it for me as far as jobs and education? What are the economic benefits?
Pulse – a city’s urban appeal and lifestyle – Is this city a fun place to be? Will I get bored?
People – a city’s friendliness, openness, cultural diversification and safety – Are people warm and friendly, is it safe, are there communities where I would fit in?
Prerequisites – a city’s basic qualities, including hotels, schools, public transport and sports. Does the city work on the most basic service levels?

Here’s how 30 pre-selected cities rank among one another based on these categories of questions:

1. London (pictured)
2. Paris
3. Sydney
4. Rome
5. Barcelona
6. Amsterdam
7. New York
8. Los Angeles
9. Madrid
10. Berlin
11. San Francisco
12. Toronto
13. Geneva
14. Washington
15. Brussels
16. Milan
17. Stockholm
18. Edinburgh
19. Tokyo
20. Prague
21. Hong Kong
22. Singapore
23. Rio de Janeiro
24. Beijing
25. Mexico City
26. Moscow
27. Johannesburg
28. Cairo
29. Mumbai
30. Lagos

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