Winning Recognition: London City Branding in the Context of the Olympic Summer Games 2012

London 2012. The city is hosting the Summer Olympic Games from 27 July to 12 August. German collective memory, particularly celebrates occurrences such as lavish opening ceremonies, the futuristic mascots 'Wenlock and Mendeville', and a German gold winning beach volleyball duo playing right in front of the breath-taking scenery of Downing Street and the London Eye. When people living outside of Great Britain recall the Olympiad, the city's effort into selling itself as a brand is often unrecognized, or better: an unknown experience. This paper is grounded in a substantial theoretical base around the concepts and the processes of city branding through the Olympics in particular. It will start with a presentation of the development of branding, followed by a recap of the Olympics' history. Important aspects of the brand concept will be explained in greater detail with particular emphasis on identity-oriented brand management. It will explore to what extent places can become brands. This chapter is followed by a case study of the main rebranding campaigns and uses exemplary analysis of the city branding activities conducted in the context of the London 2012 Olympic Summer Games.