A growing number of African cities and countries are rewriting the rules of territorial marketing—moving beyond logos and slogans towards deeper questions of belonging, pride, and identity. At TPBO, we’ve taken a close look at the Places and People to Watch across the continent — brought together in a special edition, available here this October.
Among those helping steer this shift is Dr. Yasmine Alaoui, a Casablanca-based professor and researcher at ENCG, and consultant with Gratiya advisory, whose work sits at the intersection of theory and practice.
Yasmine has contributed to landmark initiatives such as WeCasablanca while developing an academic lens that places citizen participation, territorial selfhood, and quality of life at the centre of place strategy. Her concept of “Arkh-Identity” frames territory not as a brand to be invented but a story to be revealed.
We caught up with Yasmine to explore how Moroccan and African places are carving out distinct narratives, why resident engagement is essential for credibility, and how sport diplomacy, storytelling, and governance might define the next chapter of place branding.
Yasmine, how would you describe the current state of territorial marketing in Morocco—and what makes it distinct from other contexts in Africa or Europe?
Territorial marketing in Morocco is currently in a phase of structuring and consolidation. We are moving beyond occasional communication initiatives towards a deeper vision, where we are beginning to grasp the very essence of the concept. It is no longer reduced to mere promotion or institutional communication; rather, it is increasingly understood as a scientific, specific, and demanding discipline, which requires both reflexivity and action-oriented thinking.
In this context, we are witnessing the rise of structuring initiatives: regions are setting up dedicated territorial marketing hubs, Regional Investment Centers are becoming more engaged, and territories such as Casablanca, Rabat, Dakhla, and Guelmim-Oued Noun stand out for their growing maturity in this field.
As both a researcher and a practitioner, I have developed the concept of Arkh-Identity, which means that identity must be both at the beginning and at the command of any territorial marketing approach. Every territory is unique. Territorial identity is about transforming a place into a beautiful and desirable story—a story that can only be told through what fundamentally defines that territory.
To explain this, I often refer to Paul Ricoeur, who distinguishes between sameness (mêmeté, what is common and repeatable) and selfhood (ipséité, what makes each entity unique). I firmly believe that every territory carries this selfhood, and that it is by revealing it that a place becomes attractive, credible, and competitive.
What distinguishes Morocco from other African and European contexts is precisely this singular positioning: compared with much of Africa, Morocco benefits from political stability, large-scale structuring projects, and a growing awareness of the importance of territorial marketing. Compared with Europe, where the discipline is already highly institutionalized, Morocco retains a margin for innovation, experimenting with its own models and grounding its strategies in the Arkh-Identity of each territory.
Finally, Morocco is living through a pivotal moment: the country is preparing to host major international sporting events, such as the Africa Cup of Nations and the 2030 FIFA World Cup. These events act as powerful catalysts of territorial attractiveness, and it is within this context that territorial marketing is becoming more than ever a discipline of necessity. We are now seeing many territories embracing it, with an acute awareness of its importance for their development and international visibility.
Your research highlights the importance of citizen participation. What have you found to be the most effective ways of turning residents into advocates for their city or region?
I strongly believe in the African saying, echoed by Gandhi and Mandela, that ‘what is done for me, without me, is done against me.’ In territorial marketing, this means it is not only about turning residents into advocates, but about building with them rather than for them. That is why the process must be bottom-up and not top-down.
Not from research alone, but from my practical experience in many territories in Europe, Africa, and Morocco, I have seen that residents play at least four essential roles in this process. They are first a direct target, since the quality of their daily lives is the first measure of a territory’s success. They are also an argument of value, as their culture, creativity, and talent embody the uniqueness of the place. They act as partners in co-construction, ensuring that strategies are grounded in authenticity. Finally, they become ambassadors and passionate advocates, influencing tourists, investors, and other external audiences through their lived experiences.
Beyond this, I emphasize the centrality of what I call ‘territorial hospitality.’ Not hospitality in the narrow sense of welcoming visitors, but rather the capacity of a territory to retain and nurture the resources it has already acquired—its residents, its talents, and its assets. Working only on external attractiveness, without improving residents’ quality of life and their desire to stay, would be like trying to fill an open funnel. True territorial advocacy begins with pride and well-being at home.
Identity-driven territorial marketing is another theme of your work. How can places like Casablanca express their identity in ways that feel authentic and avoid stereotypes?
Thank you very much for reading my research. To answer this question, I would say that territorial identity must be expressed through concrete and visible actions that reflect both the deep essence of the territory and the projects that embody its future.
Concretely, a territory can start by showcasing its strong symbols – those that convey its collective imagination and memory: heritage elements, emblematic landscapes, cultural or artistic traditions. It can then strengthen this expression by organizing cultural events that bring these symbols to life and embed them in a contemporary dynamic.
But identity is not limited to culture and symbols. It is also expressed through economic and structural projects that shape the future of the territory. Launching or supporting projects in strategic sectors (renewable energy, infrastructure, industrial clusters, sustainable agriculture, etc.) amounts to materializing what I call “the essence” and “the essences of the territory.”
The essence (singular): what intrinsically defines the territory, its immutable DNA, what makes it unique compared to others.
The essences (plural): the multiple expressions of this identity across different fields – culture, economy, society, environment – which reflect its richness and complexity.
The identity of a territory is what it is today, what it was yesterday, and what it aims to become tomorrow. It is in constant evolution. In my research, I have developed an identity analysis framework that systematically combines past, present, and future.
In general, a territory can express its identity and authenticity by working on three levers:
- Storytelling, which provides a clear and mobilizing narrative.
- Staging (symbols, events, design, structural projects), which makes this narrative tangible and visible.
- Networking (inhabitants, investors, diaspora, partners), which brings this identity to life beyond its physical borders.
By combining the essence and the essences, and by articulating past, present, and future, identity ceases to be an abstraction: it becomes a shared experience and a strategic lever for territorial transformation.
You’ve studied the WeCasablanca initiative closely. Which elements of that experience would you consider transferable to other cities, and where do you see room for improvement?
The WeCasablanca initiative has become a true case study in place branding, not only in Morocco but also across Africa. I had the opportunity to work with Casablanca Events & Animation, notably through the Africa Place Marketing forum, which gave me direct insight into how the brand was developed and deployed.
Several elements are, in my view, highly transferable to other cities:
- A strong visual and narrative identity – the logo, graphic charter, and storytelling gave Casablanca a clear, recognizable image, which is essential for any city seeking to position itself competitively.
- Anchoring the brand in major structural projects – WeCasablanca was designed to accompany the transformation driven by Casablanca’s large-scale projects in infrastructure, mobility, and urban development. This ability to link narrative with concrete projects is a key lesson for other territories.
- A collective and inclusive approach – the mobilization of economic, cultural, and institutional actors demonstrates the importance of involving the entire local ecosystem in shaping a city brand.
- Emerging citizen appropriation – as a university professor, I interact with hundreds of students every year. Each time I introduce them to the essence of the WeCasablanca brand, they immediately embrace it. This shows that the identity resonates strongly, provided its meaning and purpose are clearly explained.
That said, there are also areas for improvement:
Communicating the essence more effectively – while the brand has depth and coherence, its core meaning is not always well explained, which limits large-scale citizen ownership.
Strengthening credibility through tangible projects – beyond storytelling, the brand needs to be increasingly embodied in everyday life through projects that improve quality of life for residents.
Better impact measurement – setting up regular indicators on citizen perception, international visibility, and economic returns would allow the brand to be monitored, adjusted, and sustained over time.
In short, WeCasablanca is an inspiring and pioneering experience, showing how a city can craft a clear, mobilizing identity. Its future success will depend on stronger communication of its essence, deeper citizen engagement, and tighter alignment with the structural projects that are transforming Casablanca.
You argue that quality of life is the true “core target” of territorial marketing. What does that mean in practice for policymakers and local leaders?
When I say that quality of life is a true target of place marketing, it’s not just a slogan – it’s a conviction. For me, it’s the central pivot, because it conditions everything else. You can attract investors, host major events, build infrastructures… but if daily life for residents is not satisfactory, then it’s like filling a leaky basket: you pour in from one side, but it leaks out from the other.
What does this mean in practice for policymakers and local leaders? It means investing in what directly affects people’s daily lives:
- Improving public transport to reduce the time lost in traffic,
- Creating green spaces where families can gather,
- Developing bike lanes and pedestrian areas to encourage soft mobility,
- Reinforcing cleanliness and safety in neighborhoods,
- Supporting local cultural initiatives, such as community festivals or youth centers,
- And even promoting access to affordable housing so that residents can live with dignity in their own city.
Quality of life is at the center for several reasons. First, because it is shared: it is not reserved for a specific target group. Tourists, investors, international students – they all live the same experience as residents. And as I often emphasize: place marketing is marketing reality. It is marketing the offer, not the demand. We cannot control each visitor’s personal experience.
What we can do is improve the lived reality of our residents. And when residents feel good, they naturally transmit that feeling to others.
In the end, what remains from a territory for someone discovering it? It is human contact. The taxi driver who picks you up at the airport is a resident.
The person who stamps your passport is a resident. The student who helps you find an address is a resident. Even an investor’s expatriates experience daily life side by side with local residents.
Quality of life lies at the very heart of place marketing. It is the pivot that makes the difference between a territory that simply tells a story and a territory that truly makes you live it.
From your dual perspective as researcher and consultant, what are some misconceptions about place branding that you encounter most often among decision-makers?
I LOVE THIS QUESTION! I have to say that these misconceptions are something I encounter very often, and they affect me deeply. As a researcher, I am particularly sensitive to the conceptual clarity of place branding – we care about definitions and rigor in academia. But as a consultant, I also see that when policymakers and local leaders lack this sensitivity, they simply cannot embark on the journey of territorial marketing in a meaningful way. That is why I always insist on starting with what I call the “zero step” of place marketing: instilling the marketing mindset.
The first and perhaps biggest misconception is a problem of concept delimitation. Too many decision-makers reduce place branding to a logo, a slogan, or a communication campaign. In reality, it is much more than PR: it is a scientific process, grounded in research, diagnosis, and the co-construction of strategy with stakeholders.
A second misconception is to believe that place branding is only about external attraction – bringing in tourists, investors, or events. I argue that it must be both endogenous and exogenous. If you don’t build attractiveness from within – by working with residents, improving quality of life, strengthening identity – then the external image has no credibility.
Another frequent misunderstanding is to think of place branding as a short-term project that produces quick results. In fact, it is a long-term, continuous process. Places are living systems, with histories, assets, and constraints. Branding them is not like launching a product; it is about structuring development around identity and vision.
Many also confuse place branding with commercial marketing. But a territory is not a yogurt or a car that you can design according to consumer wishes – warmer, colder, closer to the Caribbean. The territory already exists, with its history, its people, its opportunities and challenges.
Place branding is what I call an inverted marketing process: it starts from the offer, not the demand. Our job is to reveal and valorize what is already there, not to reinvent it artificially.
There is also the issue of citizen appropriation. Too often, place branding strategies are developed top-down, from an office in the capital. But without the residents, without their voice, without their ownership, the brand remains fragile. This is why I insist on bottom-up approaches, co-created with inhabitants, businesses, institutions, and even the diaspora.
Residents are the first ambassadors of a place – every taxi driver, every student, every local entrepreneur embodies the brand more than any campaign ever could.
And finally, one more misconception: thinking that place branding is optional or superficial. In truth, it is a strategic tool to align projects, attract investment, improve quality of life, and create a shared identity. It is marketing reality – the reality of the place – not a fabricated image.
This is why I always emphasize the need for training and awareness sessions at the beginning of every project. I call this the zero step of territorial marketing: instilling the marketing mindset. Without this cultural shift, without this shared understanding, all the rest – the campaigns, the investments, the projects – will lack coherence and long-term impact.
Looking ahead, what priorities will guide your own research and consultancy in the coming years?
Looking ahead, my research and consultancy will be guided by three main priorities.
First, I intend to explore more deeply the role of sport diplomacy as a catalyst for territorial development. Major sporting events, when approached strategically, can do much more than project an image abroad: they can reinforce local pride, stimulate inclusive economic dynamics, and anchor territories in a sustainable path.
Second, I want to advance a model I call the “4Ps” of territorial governance: public–private–partnership–pertinent. Partnerships are crucial, but they are not automatically meaningful. They must be relevant—aligned with local needs, respectful of territorial capacities, and coherent with long-term visions. This notion of “pertinence” is, to me, what makes the difference between a partnership that is cosmetic and one that is transformative.
Third, I want to dedicate more of my work to what I see as one of Africa’s biggest gaps but also greatest opportunities: storytelling. Our territories are full of extraordinary stories, both small and large—stories of innovation, resilience, creativity, and ambition. Yet too often, these stories remain unspoken or poorly told. At the end of the day, marketing is precisely this: turning a territory into a story that is both beautiful and desirable. For me, this ability to weave lived experiences into a shared narrative that inspires residents, visitors, and investors alike will remain at the heart of my work.
What shifts do you think are most urgent for African territories seeking to strengthen their reputation?
When it comes to African territories more broadly, I believe several urgent shifts are needed to strengthen their reputation.
They must move from an exogenous logic of attraction to a balance of endogenous and exogenous strategies. It is not enough to attract tourists and investors; territories must first value and retain their own resources—talent, businesses, and cultural wealth.
They need to overcome the reduction of branding to logos or campaigns and instead embrace it as a long-term, cross-cutting, and structuring project.
They must adopt public–private–pertinent partnerships, because governance that is open, inclusive, and rooted in local realities is the only way to ensure credibility.
And finally, they should invest in a powerful African narrative—one that highlights culture, sport, and innovation not as add-ons, but as central levers of diplomacy and identity-building.
In short, I see the future of territorial marketing in Africa as a dual effort: building strategies that are sustainable and relevant, while at the same time mastering the art of telling stories that inspire confidence and desire. That is where I intend to position both my research and my consultancy in the years to come.
Thank you, Yasmine.
Connect with Yasmine Alaoui on LinkedIn.
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