Corporations are trying to take over our civic identity. Don’t let them.

This piece talks about, not just how cities market themselves, but how multinational corporations have piggybacked off civic identities to claim a false local connection and distinctiveness.

We’re at a time where social activism is desperately needed but activism itself has become increasingly branded, alongside music, art and even our places. Although this can be well-intentioned, it can act to neutralise the communities’ voice rather than amplify it.

How, then, can communities maintain the strength of their identities? And how can organisations authentically put their weight behind causes they believe in?