As ever more cities, towns and suburbs turn to place branding to boost their economy, all too often the end product is torn apart by residents and local press. With Hemisphere currently being berated by the residents of Oldham for its recent re-branding exercise, are the small budgets, angry locals and expectant clients worth it?

Whether it’s I love New York or Glasgow’s Miles Better, the best place brands have the ability to distract attention from a city’s less salubrious wares. Now place branding is booming and an insatiable clutch of cities, towns and suburbs are signing up for a new-look.