Chapter 16: Using X for Smart City Marketing in Kuwait: Lessons From Qatar’s TASMU Programme and Singapore’s Smart Nation

Marketing plays a vital role in the success of smart cities since it innovatively promotes urban solutions and enhances citizens’ engagement. The study investigates the use of X, formerly known as Twitter, in communicating and branding smart city initiatives. Marketing strategies of TASMU in Qatar and Smart Nation in Singapore were studied with a view to applying relevant lessons to the vision of the smart city in Kuwait. Through content and thematic analysis of the official X accounts by NVivo, the research identifies key strategies employed by the accounts of both TASMU and Smart Nation to promote their smart city and engage citizens. The findings revealed differences in the strategies used by the two accounts. However, both projects used convincing images to capture people’s attention and explain the benefits of building smart cities. While Qatar preferred a more active and participative strategy, Singapore has been focusing on one-way, government-centric updates. The research also suggested a marketing strategy framework for the smart cities in Kuwait, presenting the key need to embrace broader engagement options, highlighting the importance of market research and assessment. This research adds to the literature of emerging studies of digital communication of smart cities with social media, providing useful suggestions.