Over the past decade, one can observe a steady growth in the use of terms such as Place Branding, Nation Branding, Destination Branding and City Branding. Both in academic research and in the practical applications in large cities management and urban spaces, this new paradigm takes shape and, along with it, the need for definitions and concepts, methods and methodologies and the establishment of technical and theoretical standards. This approach was born in the Marketing field, specifically in what was called Place Marketing. In this context the Branding stood out as a development tool solutions to the need for differentiation, generation of solid images and the establishment of symbols and identity signs, in order to leverage economic benefits for countries, cities and regions. In a way, fulfilling, in the first instance, a similar role to the branding of products and services. But it was specifically in Branding corporations that were found the biggest matches to adapt this knowledge to management positions. Ashworth & Kavaratzis (2010) highlight the fact that both present multidisciplinary roots, a multiple number of strategic actors (stakeholders), high degree of intangibility and complexity of social responsibility, the multiplicity of identities and the long-term development needs are strong examples their similarities. The development and management of corporate identities, here expanded to the Branding corporations, it is a prolific field of Design. It great names of the area said their careers and built great legacy. The time of greater proficiency in the area were the 50s and 60s, dominated by modernist thought, and, coincidentally or not, exactly the time that focused efforts to assert the identity of the designer as a professional (STOLARSKI, 2006) . Nationally stand out names like Alexandre Wollner, Ruben Martins, the duo Carlos Cauduro and Ludovico Martino and Aloisio Magalhaes. In contrast, in the literature produced in the marketing field, often the role of design in this context is reduced to merely promotional measures, such as creating logos or advertising campaigns. In other words, defined as a work of low complexity and low social prägnanz. This approach comes at odds with contemporary theories of design, such as MetaDesign, Design Thinking and Design Collaborative, in which are presented motodológicos models of high relevance for the identification, analysis and solution of complex problems involving multiple elements and agents. The proposed article aims to survey the state of the art City Branding / Place Branding focused on publications produced in the disciplinary field of design. The literature review will grant that, before the above presented context, is analyzed as designers and researchers design face the contributions that the field can offer to the practice and theory of Branding places. Finally, Article yearns assess whether the pre-established hypothesis that there are possible and fruitful connections between contemporary theories of design and the City Branding, is being addressed in articles and publications area.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/IFDP.2016.3288
City branding: strategic planning and communication image in the management of contemporary cities.