Utilising the case study of the Gold Coast, Australia, this paper aims to discuss city identity and the role of brandingin the formation of the city image and explore whether residents and tourists perceive identity of a city differently. The paper views place identity from the perspective of modern practices of place marketing and branding, rather than experiential self-identity. City identity forms the context from which planning policies, plans and decisions are made, making it a significant area of theory in the planning discipline. However, if the perception of this identity by outsiders is inaccurate, attracting investment and residents will be challenging. The inherent multifaceted nature of city or place identity further emphasises the need for those planning the multiplicity of communities, suburbs, cities, regions and states to understand the context of those who live within such places.