Proprietary research analyses 100 global cities for the effectiveness of their business brand, studies mobility’s role in memorability.

  • New methodology establishes effectiveness via Promise, Experience, Delivery

  • North American cities still dominate with six featured in the Top 20

  • Dubai leaps to #5 overall due to the international appeal of its Promise 

  • DACH cities lead in Experience, while Japanese cities excel in Delivery 

London/Madrid, October 30, 2023 – New York, London and Tokyo top the rank of 100 global cities analysed in City Brand Barometer 2023, Business edition, a proprietary bi-annual report that interviews 2,000 businesspeople worldwide to assess the world’s most relevant place brands for commerce. 

Published by independent global brand consultancy Saffron since 2008, City Brand Barometer 2023 also features a new data-driven study on mobility from astara Intelligence, the advisory branch of astara, one of the world’s leading mobility companies. The study assesses global cities by examining the maturity of their mobility sector, their vision and innovation, and the cleanliness, sustainability and accessibility of their mobility as key factors influencing a city’s brand strength.

Jacob Benbunan, co-founder and CEO of Saffron, said: ‘Brand is the promise of an experience, delivered; it was revealing to analyse each city through these three critical lenses. We saw that memorability, an increasingly vital concept for the success of all brands, is achieved through a powerful promise and an emotional experience. Thanks to our new partnership with astara, we are beginning to investigate the link between memorability, mobility and the effectiveness of a city’s business brand.’ 

The most memorable business city of all, New York, is also the Barometer’s highest scoring for Promise, with 40% higher top-of-mind and consideration scores compared to the rest of the Top 20 cities. While London places second overall in this year’s Barometer, Tokyo’s business brand leaps from 10th in 2021 to 3rd due to strengthened infrastructure (Delivery), active branding initiatives and strong recall (Promise). In the Barometer’s 2022 Tourism edition, Tokyo reached #1 for the first time, showcasing the city’s overarching global presence.  

Sebastián Canadell, Chief of astara Intelligence, said: ‘We are extremely proud to have partnered with Saffron on the City Brand Barometer 2023. We understand that mobility plays a crucial role in shaping how cities are perceived and remembered, an aspect that is often overlooked. This study underscores the significance of sustainable mobility, innovation and accessible mobility for all as decisive factors in strengthening a city’s brand. Our commitment at astara Intelligence is to continue collaborating to push forward mobility in the smart cities of the future and contribute to economic and business growth.’

The four breakout lists highlighted in City Brand Barometer 2023 include the Top 20, and the 15 rising Leaders in Promise, Experience and Delivery. The report features case studies with bespoke memorability and mobility analysis from Saffron and astara on 10 city business brands: Auckland, Cape Town, Lagos, Madrid, Mexico City, New York, Osaka, Riyadh, São Paulo and Singapore.

The results:

Top 20 

CBB’s Top 20 have the strongest business brands in the world, combining Promise, Experience and Delivery. They excel in representing their brand genuinely and are recognised for it. They set new benchmarks for other places to follow and are widely considered as ideal locations for business, growth and strong innovation. 

  1. New York City

  2. London

  3. Tokyo

  4. Paris

  5. Dubai

  6. Singapore

  7. Los Angeles

  8. Hong Kong

  9. San Francisco

  10. Barcelona

  11. Sydney

  12. Washington D.C.

  13. Amsterdam

  14. Chicago

  15. Berlin

  16. Toronto

  17. Boston

  18. Vancouver

  19. Munich

  20. Madrid

Leaders in Promise

These 15 emerging Leaders in Promise resonate with citizens, tourists and investors worldwide through their seamless combination of commitment and engagement. 

  1. Shanghai

  2. Beijing

  3. São Paulo

  4. Milan

  5. Abu Dhabi

  6. Melbourne

  7. Seoul

  8. Hamburg

  9. Brussels

  10. Frankfurt

  11. Cape Town

  12. Lisbon

  13. Johannesburg

  14. Mumbai

  15. Mexico City

Leaders in Experience

Our 15 Leaders in Experience combine ease of doing business with a high quality of life, all supported by a skilled workforce, a strong economy and efficient governance & policies. These cities leverage the unique strengths of their environments to create lasting and influential brands.

  1. Copenhagen

  2. Canberra

  3. Auckland

  4. Zurich

  5. Stockholm

  6. Reykjavik

  7. Hamburg

  8. Frankfurt

  9. Melbourne

  10. Oslo

  11. Austin

  12. Helsinki

  13. Manchester

  14. Fukuoka

  15. Nagoya

Leaders in Delivery

Successful Delivery means turning commitments into results. These 15 Leaders in Delivery seamlessly integrate infrastructure, technology, entrepreneurship and innovation to create a fertile ground for business growth. 

  1. Copenhagen

  2. Stockholm

  3. Istanbul

  4. Fukuoka

  5. Osaka

  6. Zurich

  7. Rome

  8. Nagoya

  9. Vienna

  10. Helsinki

  11. Oslo

  12. Reykjavik

  13. Lisbon

  14. Manchester

  15. Dublin

City Brand Barometer methodology:

What is CBB?

Saffron created the City Brand Barometer in 2008 to explore which cities worldwide have built the strongest brands. This year, we evaluated 100 cities from an international business perspective and measured them for the strength of their Promise, Experience and Delivery. Partnering with leading mobility company astara’s Intelligence division, we selected 10 of these cities worldwide to further analyse the correlation between brand strength, the city’s mobility and its memorability.