Abstract
Over the past decades, cities have evolved beyond their traditional role as urban settlements to become dynamic and competitive entities striving to strengthen their global position. In this context, many cities have increasingly adopted strategic branding approaches as a means of enhancing their international competitiveness and attractiveness. At the same time, these branding strategies are progressively being integrated with the principles and components of smart city development. By linking urban identity with technological innovation, data-driven governance, and sustainable urban management. The study examines the role of smart cities in establishing a unique urban identity through the application of city branding as a strategic instrument for competitiveness and sustainable enhancement. The study underscores the importance of urban intelligence in cultivating a distinctive city identity that attracts investments and residents, enhances quality of life, encourages innovation, and fosters transparency and community engagement. It examines the relationship between the characteristics of smart cities and the execution of branding strategies, utilizing indicators that assess urban distinctiveness. The research employs the inductive and analytical approaches to understand the relationship between intelligence and branding for urban identity. It also analyze successful case studies of cities that have adopted smart strategies. The study recommends that each smart city adopts a comprehensive strategic vision centred on strengthening digital infrastructure, empowering communities, and providing innovative, integrated urban services that enhance overall urban quality. This approach facilitates the development of a distinctive urban identity, enhances overall quality of life, and strengthens the city’s competitiveness within local and global urban contexts