"Place isn't optional, we have to have a place. So we have to constantly figure it out."

Are you interested in place branding? What do you think about participating in the civic brand at your place? How can we involve the next generation to create urban futures?

Interview with Ryan Short, author of ‘The Civic Brand: The Power & Responsibility of Place’ and co-founder of CivicBrand. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, place branding, choosing where to live, opportunities opening up, the next generation, and many more.

Ryan Short is the CEO of CivicBrand, a firm dedicated to place-branding for U.S. cities and local governments. With 17 years of experience, Ryan guides communities to define their unique identities through shared values, vision, and actionable strategies, transcending traditional logos and slogans. His upcoming book, The Civic Brand: The Power and Responsibility of Place (September 2025), delves into how branding fosters unity, civic pride, and a sense of belonging, featuring a foreword by Charles Marohn of Strong Towns. Ryan has spoken at prestigious events, such as City Nation Place Global, sharing insights on community identity. He has collaborated with numerous municipalities, helping align branding with policy to create lasting impact. Ryan’s work empowers places to articulate their essence, strengthening community bonds and driving meaningful change through strategic, values-driven branding.

Find out more about Ryan through these links:

• Ryan Short on LinkedIn
• The Civic Brand - book by Ryan Short
• CivicBrand website
• Ryan Short at CivicBrand
• CivicBrand on LinkedIn
• @civicbrand as CivicBrand on Instagram

Connecting episodes you might be interested in:

• No.312 - Interview with Gilbert Rochecouste about placemaking
• No.333R - Place and Place-making in cities: A global perspective
• No.365R - The Civic Brand

What was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@WTF4Cities⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or on the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wtf4cities.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ website where the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shownotes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ are also available.

I hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning in.

Episode generated with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Descript⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ assistance (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠affiliate link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠).

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