The just released 2015 Anholt-GfK Roper City Brands Index℠ (CBI) report places Paris and London in the number one and two slots, with New York City and Los Angeles improving their 2013 rankings while Washington D.C. slipped four places despite improving its score.
Anholt-GfK City Brands Index
| City | 2015 Rank | 2013 Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Paris | 1 | 3 |
| London | 2 | 1 |
| NYC | 3 | 4 |
| Sydney | 4 | 2 |
| Los Angeles | 5 | 7 |
| Rome | 6 | 5 |
| Berlin | 7 | 12 |
| Amsterdam | 8 | 11 |
| Melbourne | 9 | 10 |
| Washington, D.C. | 10 | 6 |
| Source: Anholt-GfK |
The biannual CBI℠ survey was conducted among citizens in 10 countries – both developed and developing – that play important and diverse roles in the flow of business, cultural, and tourism activities. In all, 5,166 online interviews were conducted with adults age 18 or over. The index measures the image of 50 cities with respect to six key dimensions:
—Presence: International status and standing
—Place: Outdoors and transport
—Prerequisites: Basic necessities, public amenities
—People: Friendliness, cultural diversity
—Pulse: Interesting events and activities
—Potential: Economic and educational opportunities
For the 2015 study, 5166 interviews were conducted in total, consisting of at least 500 interviews in each of Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Russia, South Korea, UK and USA. Adults aged 18 or over are interviewed online in each country. Using the most up-to-date online population parameters, the achieved sample in each country has been weighted to reflect key demographic characteristics including age, gender, and education of the online population in that country. Fieldwork was conducted from September 10th to 23rd, 2015.
About the survey results, Simon Anholt observed, “Our survey was conducted before the November attacks in Paris – but, if past experience is anything to go by, such attacks do not change people’s perceptions of the city in any significant or long-lasting way. There may be a temporary change in people’s behavior towards Paris – but the attacks do not affect the reasons why people might admire the city’s beauty, cultural life, opportunities, etc. and this is what CBI measures.”
