THE way Liverpool and other cities are “branded” will be debated next week as Liverpool takes its brand to a global audience of potential investors.

Liverpool will again have a stand at international property festival Mipim, in Cannes on the French Riviera, starting on Tuesday.

The city’s stand at the event has been designed by Liverpool creative agency Uniform to help it stand out from dozens of other cities represented at the massive event. As part of Liverpool’s programme of events at Mipim, Daily Post city editor David Bartlett will chair a debate on city branding, which will be held on the Liverpool yacht in the marina at Cannes.

Panellists will include Richard Akram, Intercontinental Hotels development director for the UK and Ireland; Lyndsey Ashworth, development director of Peel Holdings; and Mike Taylor, director of investment and enterprise at Liverpool Vision.

Liverpool’s stand and promotional material at Mipim will make use of the city’s branding, which was designed by agency Finch last year as part of the city’s bid to build on its Capital of Culture success.

Liverpool’s efforts in Mipim are led by investment and regeneration agency Liverpool Vision. Its director of marketing, Paul Whitehead, said cities like Liverpool needed strong brands.

He said: “We want to promote Liverpool as an investment destination of choice. There’s a lot of people doing a similar thing for their particular region. There’s a lot of noise.

“If you go to an event such as Mipim, or the World Expo in Shanghai, or want to attract any other international audience, it’s about how you brand yourselves – what are you saying about your city?

“Capital of Culture year gave us a brand for the city to sit behind – before that, we never really had a brand that encapsulates the city.

“There is a challenge to ensure that we don’t lose the impetus of Capital of Culture. Our brand needs to pick up on that success, particularly on the international exposure it gave us.”