The report pointed out that whilst some big hitters are marketing themselves very well and have created strong brands, they don’t actually deliver on assets - they are basically overselling themselves. Manchester, Newcastle and Bristol fell into this category.

Conversely, some lesser known regional cities are “hidden gems” - quieter brands and lower profiles, but really delivering the goods as far as assets go - things like history, culture, food/drink, tourist attractions etc.

Implicitly, the conclusion would be that the ideal city would balance a strong brand with the ability to deliver on its promises. The essential thing we need to grasp as Preston finds itself as a city, is that designers and creatives are essential to both sides of this process. Design isn’t just about communicating clever marketing concepts and making the leaflets look good. In order to properly unlock the potential that design thinking has to make a difference, it needs to be understood and incorporated in its widest sense - architecture, service design, wayfaring, place making, community cohesion, crime reduction…

See the Saffron report here: http://www.saffron-consultants.com/News.aspx