• Ad Age, Monday, June 19, 2006 1:15 PM

Marketers will soon have a whole city in which they can not only advertise their products on huge, Times-Square-like outdoor billboards, but they will even have the opportunity to integrate their brands into the lives of community residents and visitors. It's called a "branded city," and there is currently one under construction in a field not far from Phoenix. It's called the Westgate City Center, and it is being created by Ellman Cos. and Clear Channel Branded Cities. Now in phase one of construction, the place will have 6.5 million square feet, two major sporting arenas, hotels, condominiums, convention centers, movie theaters, office space, restaurants, shopping centers, and over 30 media signs such as those in Times Square. Branded cities is a new concept that offers advertisers integration with a community, said Dan Jasper, VP-Clear Channel Branded Cities, a unit of Clear Channel Spectacolor, which also sells many of the signs in Times Square. Mr. Jasper sees Westgate as a new branding platform for marketers that goes beyond sales. For instance, he said, a company can advertise on the signs at Westgate, and also become a preferred partner for the residents of Westgate, offering enhanced packages, performing demonstrations in the plaza and creating a connection with consumers. "Branded cities is about creating the ability for products and services to have a platform to integrate and align themselves in people's lives in a natural and organic way," Mr. Jasper said.

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