ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with the symbols more closely related to the imaginaries of urban life, and specifically with attractive symbols and icons. The rationale is that urban branding is basically the art of reading, inventing, manipulating, representing and definitely displaying urban symbols and related city imaginaries. The symbolic role of the skyscraper, however, is not that straightforward. There are very powerful imaginative geographies and regional differences at play. In a similar vein, referring to urban spaces, consumption in a shopping mall may be perceived as vulgar by many people, while in an organic food market, a historical shopping street or a museum shop, it tends to be framed differently. Ferris wheels are interesting branding technologies: some of them have reached tremendous popularity, strongly contributing in raising interest for some places. However, despite the palpable stigma characterising the area, the Ferris wheel is a popular and attractive symbol.
