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If Copenhagen is Open...

Advertising, Graphic Design, Type / Typography

Posted by Mark Sinclair, 1 June 2011, 11:59    Permalink    Comments (102)

With the Danish capital declaring itself 'cOPENhagen', the city joins 'I amsterdam' and 'LondON' in the trend for word-within-a-word logotypes. But where else might benefit from this touristic wordplay?

What might be termed branding tmesis, or a form of visual infixation, works like this: take your city or country name (the anglised version is most commonly used in tourism) and see if it contains a word within it that could be adopted as an appealing slogan.

For example, similar in its tone to 'I Love NY', where Milton Glaser replaced the word "Love" with a heart symbol, in The Netherlands KesselsKramer came up with the inclusive-sounding 'I amsterdam' a few years ago.

It works both online at iamsterdam.com...

...and it even translates into physical type sculpture, too, which in turn becomes a desination in its own right (shown here, outside the Rijksmuseum):

In 2009, the VisitCopenhagen organisation launched its cOPENhagen: Open For You campaign, branding the Danish Capital Region anew (brand director: Jacob Saxild). In the UK, the branding is currently running in newspaper ads.

Its designed to be interpreted by users...

...and, again, used across a range of media:

So in the same spirit, I wondered where else in the world might be able to trade on this quirk of naming?

Well, Finland, Romania, Tuvalu and Estonia could surely do well out of accentuating the positives, as above. But what about Columbia? Or Australia? Vietnam? Something for the graduates, too? Hold tight...

Tenuous you say? These are mere puns? Well, how about this effort for the Cuban capital, with apologies to the late Freddie Mercury... It is the whole city name after all. (Though might be a job to get it onto a T-shirt, let alone a badge)...

And this one would definitely get me thinking about a trip to Aruba:

Really though, the best example of potential word-within-a-word branding has to go to Japan. Simple, universal, graphically appealing, too:

Also looks great on a T-shirt.

UPDATE: Martin at elneff.com has more on the phenomenon on his blog, "Cope with it (pun intended)". While the cOPENhagen work is currently being used in the UK press, Martin also informs us that branding excercise launched in Denmark in 2009. Thanks Martin.

102 Comments

You MosCOW
Rosie
2011-06-01 12:12:47

Double-bonus for Tokyo, with ok and yo!
Ed Wright
2011-06-01 12:14:13

LiverPOOl.

Chris
Manchester
Chris
2011-06-01 12:20:44

Stay CONSTANTINopel!
Bas Holzhaus
2011-06-01 12:23:20

I love the Tokyo one ;)
Olivia
2011-06-01 12:24:04

Are you BerlIN?

Relax in a comfortable SEATtle

DetrOIt!

CHICago
Phil
2011-06-01 12:30:56

I like how sLOVEnia has branded itself.
Mark
2011-06-01 12:32:07

Also another dutch one:
UtrECHT
ECHT = Real
http://www.utrecht.nl/smartsite.dws?id=355969
Jamie
2011-06-01 12:36:27

parIS where I want to be

New YO!rk

The best IStanbul
Sam Matters
2011-06-01 12:37:12

show is cOPENhagen
matt
2011-06-01 12:41:24

You'll be IMPRESTon

By Plane, Train or CARlisle

Me and my brother play this game all the time.
Jack Wild
2011-06-01 12:43:38

'don't be a scunthorpe' leaps to mind
james_bb
2011-06-01 12:44:05

Come DublIN!
José
2011-06-01 12:47:08

Stay Hung(a)ry?
Jostein
2011-06-01 12:47:59

EnglAND ScotlAND IrelAND Wales = United Kingdom
Ianbolton
2011-06-01 12:48:37

lisBOA (good) in portuguese
lisbON!
sergio franca
2011-06-01 12:51:14

No(r)way!
larsh
2011-06-01 12:54:34

Bronze yourself in AfghanisTAN
Jon
2011-06-01 12:54:36

Game HannOVER!!
Ana
2011-06-01 12:55:32

never say duBAI
Liliana Do Nascimento
2011-06-01 12:56:02

LisBon IS ON!
Liliana Do Nascimento
2011-06-01 12:58:11

Hey 'Czech' this out!
Marcus Kelman
2011-06-01 13:02:42

Eat ITaly, Live ITaly, Love ITaly.
Luca Paulina
2011-06-01 13:04:15

On the DenMARK
Jon
2011-06-01 13:04:32

Stop 'Russian' about
Marcus Kelman
2011-06-01 13:05:04

TRInidad and TobaGO
Matt Cooper
2011-06-01 13:05:30

BE(l)FAST and glasGOw! :)
Ana
2011-06-01 13:05:32

be llanFAIRpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
james_bb
2011-06-01 13:05:51

My home town, MiltON KEYnes.
Ed Wright
2011-06-01 13:10:49

Man once landed MoON it.
Rob
2011-06-01 13:11:42

Isn't the Copenhagen branding just terrible!
Jason
2011-06-01 13:11:56

I left it 'India' car
Marcus Kelman
2011-06-01 13:12:49

'Kenya' fix this for me
Marcus Kelman
2011-06-01 13:13:37

Put that in your PortsMOUTH.
Rob
2011-06-01 13:14:12

Bang- Kok
stevenLondon
2011-06-01 13:20:17

What Jamaica that?
DecoratedWolves
2011-06-01 13:26:39

parIS where I want to be

New YO!rk

The best IStanbul
Sam Matters
2011-06-01 13:26:52

'Uganda' eat that?
Marcus Kelman
2011-06-01 13:28:44

'Uruguay' not a girl.
Marcus Kelman
2011-06-01 13:29:44

I want 'Togo' one day.
Marcus Kelman
2011-06-01 13:31:00

Yes that's my 'Suriname'
Marcus Kelman
2011-06-01 13:32:00

take anCHORAGE
do you botsWANA holiday?
st LUCIA your tie and relax
KALINingrad at kaliningrad
letts go to lithuania
etc.
etc.
james_bb
2011-06-01 13:32:41

KILLingworth or be KILLED
GeeDee
2011-06-01 13:34:22

'Oman' that's big!
Marcus Kelman
2011-06-01 13:34:29

My friend has a boat, I prefer 'Mayotte'
Marcus Kelman
2011-06-01 13:35:46

That's a fake- No wait... 'Israel'
Marcus Kelman
2011-06-01 13:37:11

I got scared so 'Iran'
Marcus Kelman
2011-06-01 13:38:40

Take cover 'Grenada'!
Marcus Kelman
2011-06-01 13:39:26

'Ghana' show me where it is.
Marcus Kelman
2011-06-01 13:40:03

Give me your REWOLVERhampton.

I am not a NaPERVille.

(To my defence; I have blond hair.)
Anne S
2011-06-01 13:41:42

zuRICH and beautiful.
Longcopylover
2011-06-01 13:42:26

Go to BEDford!
larsh
2011-06-01 13:45:01

Just alASKa – the friendliest people in the world.

Anyone need a sick bag?
clive
2011-06-01 13:48:16

Oh, your CamBODIa is soooo hot.

Anne S.
Anne S
2011-06-01 13:51:23

A new running app: Iran.

Anne S.
Anne S
2011-06-01 13:54:09

Your MUMbai is a w h * * e.
Jostein
2011-06-01 13:58:02

I don't Belize it!
james_bb
2011-06-01 13:58:26

KuWAIT FOR ME!!!!
Anne S
2011-06-01 14:03:44

MoROCco and roll.

Are you straight or Uruguay?


(Time to sign off now. Obviously.)
Anne S
2011-06-01 14:13:14

'Jamaica?'

'No, she went of her own accord.'

etc.
Angus
2011-06-01 14:22:52

'My mum's gone on holiday.'

'Where to?'

'Alaska.'

'Don't worry, I'll find out myself.'

etc.
Angus
2011-06-01 14:25:12

WELLingboROUGH

doubble on here.
liam
2011-06-01 14:38:28

How OsLO can you go?
ZürICH kann!
CalcUTTA misery.
Curious? Just DamASKUS!
TorONTO something?
IZMIR egal!
Op
2011-06-01 14:56:03

This is my UZbekIstan. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
Jostein
2011-06-01 15:07:02

An ANCHORage is a device, normally made of metal, that is used to connect a vessel to the bed of a body of water to prevent the vessel from drifting due to wind or current.
Jostein
2011-06-01 15:11:36

BlackBURN down the dump
Dan
2011-06-01 15:12:20

Só RIO! But that is portuguese, and it means: I smile or only Rio (de janeiro)
cristiane
2011-06-01 15:14:16

Brad PITTsburgh.
Jostein
2011-06-01 15:19:25

it's so MEdellin ------ Colombia's second largest, AND FRIENDLIEST city.
LINA ATEHORTUA
2011-06-01 15:43:46

Spain in the arse
matthew hauke
2011-06-01 16:17:35

I think its been retired now but Derby ran a derbYES campaign for a number of years. It's accompanying logo was suitably dire.
Kieran Harrod
2011-06-01 16:32:11

Tallinn!
zproxy
2011-06-01 19:58:58

The only thing I can come up with for Saint Louis is "aint." Sounds about right.
Speider
2011-06-01 21:17:00

The rather lovely city of Inverness has the truly dreadful in INverness. Check their site out for more awfulness using 'in'. http://www.inverness-scotland.com
Iain
2011-06-02 00:27:53

-radom city- pORto?
M. Folha
2011-06-02 00:45:06

You're a bit late there, Mr. Sinclair. The OPEN brand was launched more than a year ago (probably longer). What surprises me is that they haven't gotten rid of it yet. Aren't our cities bigger than their names? I would hope so. I wrote some more about that here: http://elneff.com/?p=95
Martin
2011-06-02 07:54:30

Listen to BulgARIA
Emilzak
2011-06-02 08:12:44

... - .- .-. -
I think its been retired now but Derby ran a derbYES campaign for a number of years. It's accompanying logo was suitably dire.
Kieran Harrod
2011-06-01 16:32:11
... - --- .--.

http://www.seeklogo.com/derbyes-logo-40207.html
GeeDee
2011-06-02 08:48:59

An unloved town in England's East Midlands got there first many years ago:

Just who put the **** in Scunthorpe?
Howard Sherwood
2011-06-02 08:50:23

COME AND GET SOMErset!
andrepj
2011-06-02 09:32:40

sCUNThorpe

If you've been there you'll know why!
Sutwald
2011-06-02 09:55:26

Canterbury, New Zealand is using "Can we fix it? Yes we CANterbury" post earthquake
Jen McBride
2011-06-02 09:58:03

@Martin/elneff.com

Thanks for pointing that out, I've amended my text to reflect the date. The campaign is running in the UK press at the moment, and I hadn't seen it before. Excellent post by the way, I'll link to it in the text above.
CR Mark Sinclair
2011-06-02 10:13:00

NEWARK = WANKER

I get this alot.

A bit off-track but picking out NEW or WAR or ARK was just too easy.

–
John Dowling
2011-06-02 10:59:48

bIrMINGham

Not me, the place - and I can get away with that cuz i'm from the place, and it does indeed ming!
Flash
2011-06-02 13:11:17

Yes we CANada!
MONTreal or montREAL or mONtreal
ONtario
queBEc
elvisbr
2011-06-02 15:13:24

seize fire on leBANon
lima
2011-06-02 19:19:11

KISSimMEe ♥♥♥
lola
2011-06-03 00:06:54

In aUStralia, It's about everyone..
Mel
2011-06-03 00:37:59

one that works in catalan

BARcelona
barCELona
barcelONA

bar=bar
cel=sky
ona=wave

;)
Tatiana
2011-06-03 14:07:19

all cockerMOUTH; no trousers

the real notTINGham

MelBOURNE free

get adleLAIDe

oxFORd learning

do do byRON, ron
sid
2011-06-03 14:48:51

how about eARTh — our planet?
nancy
2011-06-03 19:14:33

all cockerMOUTH; no trousers

the real notTINGham

MelBOURNE free

get adleLAIDe

oxFORd learning

do do byRON, ron
sid
2011-06-04 09:49:10

NEW York I want to be apart of it.

simples as in the paraphrased Beirnstein lyrics to New York New York.
Christopher Brown
2011-06-05 18:29:25

TASTE BUDapest
Andras
2011-06-06 00:34:47

LebanON
sara scharaf
2011-06-06 08:03:26

You can't spell Brighton without RIGHT ON!
Alan
2011-06-06 17:26:34

there' s no Russ in ABBOTabad.
tahir
2011-06-07 10:50:08

You forgot 80's Javier Mariscal 3-words-within-a-word masterpiece.
can be seen here: http://jamillan.com/barcel.jpg
BAR (bar)
CEL ("sky" in catalan)
ONA ("wave" in catalan)
eduard xandri
2011-06-07 12:36:01

Taiwan
Want
We Taiwant you
Chieh
2011-06-10 09:20:55

Taipei

Vista

Beautiful vistaipei
Chieh
2011-06-10 09:32:29

HONG KONG / on the go / HonG the KONgo
Chieh
2011-06-10 11:11:49

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