Today’s guest columnist is Tom Luckie.
When people ask me what Birmingham’s brand should be, I often remind them that a brand isn’t just a logo or a tagline – it’s all the memories and associations people have with our city.
Every visit to Regions Field, every game at Protective Stadium, every time they read about a breakthrough from Southern Research or have a delicious meal at one of our award-winning restaurants – it all adds up and contributes to our city’s brand in people’s minds.
The truth is you always have a brand— it’s articulating it consistently, that is tough.
The Magic City nickname balances aspiration (which Magic City does well) with something more tangible (where it struggles) but most residents may be surprised to find that we’re not the only “Magic City” – Miami earned the name for its rapid growth in the early 1900s. Roanoke, Virginia claims it too. I think it’s time we gave “magic” some meaning and Birmingham a real brand.
Birmingham is in line to be the South’s next major success story. You can feel the momentum. From James Beard winners and tech startups to the transformative STAR development reshaping downtown, to global companies choosing our region for major investments, the secret of Birmingham’s charm is getting harder to keep, and new transplants are moving here daily, drawn by the perfect mix of big opportunity and strong values.
To develop a brand that honors and accelerates our progress, we need to look at five key dimensions—at Luckie, we call them the “5 C’s”— that shape our city’s position:
We start with Culture—where we’ve come from and who we are. Birmingham has always had a culture of belief against the odds. We sprang from nothing at a railroad crossing because someone believed we could make something great from iron ore, coal, and limestone. We transformed from a steel titan to a medical innovator because leaders believed in the power of education and research.
During the Civil Rights Movement, foot soldiers believed in dignity and justice enough to face fire hoses and police dogs. Today, that spirit of belief powers everything from hosting world-class events to revitalizing historic neighborhoods. Belief is what “magic” has always meant here – not an illusion, but the power of belief to transform reality.
Next is Competition. We face economic development competition from other mid-sized cities like Charlotte and Austin. But Birmingham offers something unique: a perfect blend of opportunity and livability driven by real community values. While other cities chase trends, Birmingham builds on bedrock principles: strong families, genuine relationships, and authentic community spirit.
Our cost of living allows young professionals to own homes rather than rent indefinitely. And our location puts us at the center of everything—two hours to Atlanta’s international hub, four hours to Gulf Coast beaches, a short drive to the Appalachian foothills, and right in the heart of the Southeast’s economic growth corridor. This strategic position, combined with our commitment to community values, gives Birmingham an edge that flashier cities can’t match. We’re not just a place to work, we’re a place to build a life.
Our third C is Company – the people and businesses that make Birmingham unique. We’re a city built on multi-generational family businesses that believe in long-term value creation. Legacy family-owned companies like Drummond, Harbert, and EBSCO demonstrate the power of family values and commitment to community. We also have mainstays, like Regions Bank and Alabama Power relentlessly working to attract industry that has – and will continue to – transform our economic landscape, bringing billions in new investment to the region.
Alongside these stalwarts, newly founded businesses like Shipt and Harmony Venture Labs show how that same spirit drives innovation in the Magic City. They’re testaments to Birmingham’s ability to nurture both tradition and transformation.
Our fourth C is our Consumer – both the talent and the corporations we hope to attract. Today’s professionals seek three things: authenticity, community, and value. Birmingham delivers all three, wrapped in an ideal environment for raising families. Our suburbs boast some of the nation’s top-ranked school systems. Our neighborhoods offer character and connection.
We have top-notch healthcare from providers like UAB and insurers Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama. Our business climate provides the infrastructure for innovation while our quality of life makes recruiting talent easier. We have everything a consumer would want in their home city.
Our fifth is Connections. This is where we must consistently pull through who we are – it’s where we are making the most progress but have the furthest to go. The Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau highlights our tourism appeal, while the City of Birmingham’s revitalization efforts are transforming our urban core. The new Coca-Cola Amphitheatre demonstrates our ability to think big about our future while staying true to our character.
As we look forward, we must unite these efforts under a compelling vision – a brand that is found at the intersection of the 5 C’s – where one truth emerges: Birmingham is magic not because it is mystical, but because Birmingham is the place where people believe in each other, ourselves, and our community. Where entrepreneurs believe they can launch the next big thing. Where families believe they can build a better life. Where we dare to imagine a better community and commit to creating it.
If you ask me, Birmingham is the city of belief.
We certainly face challenges. We have work to do. We must continue to improve the infrastructure. We’re still healing from historical wounds. But these challenges make our story of belief even more powerful. We’re not a city that pretends everything is perfect – we’re a city that believes in making things better.
The Magic City nickname was never about magical thinking. It was about the magical things that happen when people believe in possibility. That’s who we are. That’s our brand, spoken or unspoken. Now we just need to bring it to life, starting with a rallying cry to unite us behind our common belief in Birmingham’s promise as a place where families thrive and businesses flourish.
Tom Luckie is chairman of Luckie & Company, the marketing solutions firm founded by his father Ace Luckie, 71 years ago. Under Tom’s watch, Luckie has evolved from a traditional ad agency to one of the largest privately held marketing firms in the South. He earned a marketing degree from Auburn and an MBA from Samford, and actively contributes to the Birmingham community through affiliations with United Way of Central Alabama, St. Vincent’s Foundation, Quarterbacking Children’s Health Foundation, and the Luckie Foundation among others.
David Sher is the founder and publisher of ComebackTown. He’s past Chairman of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA), Operation New Birmingham (REV Birmingham), and the City Action Partnership (CAP).
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Invite David to speak for free to your group about how we can have a more prosperous metro Birmingham. dsher@comebacktown.com.
I’d like to add a sixth “C.” Creative. Creativity in B’ham is off the charts. From artists to designers to authors, to startups, Birmingham is becoming increasingly so, a community of “slow” thoughtful, legitimate creators with growing audiences.
I never expected to spend my life in Birmingham. I was only 24 when I accepted a job offer at Birmingham-Southern College to teach political science . My husband and I had a plan move on when he finished law school at the University in Tuscaloosa. We were retired in 2017. We came to love BIRMINGHAM and stayed. BIRMINGHAM has been good to us.
But it hasn’t been so good for the folks who were left behind when BSC closed. Where were all the community leaders? Why couldn’t $30 million be raised or be granted by the state? Where was the outrage? And why were so many left without a job? Why didn’t major players come out and say, “We need to pick up our wounded?”
Great thoughts Tom. Livability is one element where Birmingham stands out compared to our competitors. A wonderful, walkable downtown, affordability, and way less traffic than Austin or Atlanta. And, tremendous people who are warm and inviting to newcomers. Challenges yes, but vision and determination to address them and make our city even better.
You asked about a brand for Birmingham. Here is one: “More like Pittsburgh than Vicksburg.”
Birmingham and Alabama would become a much greater city/ state if they did away with taxes on groceries and wages. Georgia has a 2% grocery tax and wages for individuals are tax free for the first $40,000. Wake up! Arab, Gadsden and Birmingham taxes are ridiculous. You have the most beautiful cities and friendly citizens in America. Why not approach Southwest about making a connecting hub @ BHM. Make BHM the gateway to Mexico,Central American and The Caribbean. They use BWI, IAH , MCO and FLL. Why can’t BHM become the gateway. Offer SW deals on landing and all the gates needed. Sell bonds, ask businesses, do surveys. “ Hey ever-body hold your hand up if you want to transfer in Hotlanta, Baltimore, Houston, Orlando , Miami or Lauderdale? Oh wait times are 1-5 hours and the airport seating is filled but standing is free. By the way BHM can transfer you in 30 minutes. Anyone for a BHM transfer? Get you to Cancun or Punta Cana three hours sooner?
Amen, James. Thanks!
I’m a bit surprised at several claims in this article and comments. 1. Birmingham isn’t as livable as your marketing piece makes it out to be. What does “livable” mean? Most people in the Bham metro don’t have access to a lot. There’s one mall and one Whole Foods on a corridor where lots of things have closed. I agree it’s easy livin for someone who doesn’t require 2025 level amenities. Flip phones are also preferable to some poeple.
2. Birmingham is NOT more affordable. We’ve discussed this before. Homewood/MB and a few other parts are on par with Franklin, Alpharetta, and many other premium suburbs, but they’re vastly different in their offerings. You pay a huge premium in Homewood/MB, and for what? To be close to downtown Birmingham? Come on. I believe that Birmingham actually proposes a negative value proposition when analyzed. You may PAY less, but you get WAY less.
3. Luckie, I can sense your love for Birmingham, your desire to point out its strong suits, and can see your a master with words and marketing, but this is full of fluff.
4. There are many assumptions about “good people” here, implying other cities don’t have as many good folks? You think that because there’s a southern drawl, attend church on Sunday, and say yes mam they’re good people? Where’s the evidence of this?
5. It’s easy to say Birmingham offers opportunity when you were handing the keys to your family’s business. The truth is, how many Fortune 500, or public companies have left Birmingham? How many people has Harmony Venture hired? Is Shipt still here? The career opportunities in Birmingham are simply laughable compared to it’s competitors and you should know that.
When people call it the Magic City, i get the same cringe feeling as when someone refers to Auburn as God’s Country or UA as “The University.”
Birmingham does have many attractive features but is in dire need of high paying jobs. The earnings gap is huge between the well off at the top and those in the lower tier. Don’t expect help from Montgomery politicians! Huntsville learned that lesson years ago. Lean on the collective brainpower and vision of local leaders and smart business consultants to spur economic growth and attract high quality companies with high wages. And put an end to the tug of war between Birmingham, the over the mountain suburbs and the county. Form a metro government so that ‘greater’ Birmingham can grow positively in a way that lifts all citizens like we see in Nashville, Charlotte, Jacksonville, Austin.
You hit the nail on head. Once Huntsville passed Birmingham as the largest city, it was time to make a move to a consolidated government. You don’t have to live in which is the inner city now, but anywhere in the new consolidated Birmingham would be a population growth. We need to get back to what we know Birmingham can and should be. The Best City in Alabama.
Great points, James. However, local change is difficult when Montgomery maintains a stranglehold on every local government statewide. And, for the better part of a century, our metro area has remained fragmented despite the best efforts of many brilliant and fine people.
I’m not very hopeful…
Mr. Luckie, I agree with most of what you are saying, and you touched on suburb schools. If Birmingham wants to be great we have to upgrade the school system, at present it has an attitude of mediocrity and that is the reason the ‘suburb schools’ are doing so much better. For Birmingham to become great that has to change, when it does more substantial businesses will come to us.
Absolutely remarkable that this writer says not ONE word about the main reason Bham is a viable, livable city: UAB.
The writer is like many in this area that disparage, ignore and fight an entity(UAB) that generates about 13 billion $$ of “goodwill” to the city, area and state.
Anyone with half a brain understands that without UAB emerging like it did, the area would be a virtual dustbowl.
Because of extremely poor city, stateand local “leadershio”, the value of UAB spinoff research, businesses etc has been abysmal.
I’m guessing most ” leaders” are more focused on UAT or AU football and not on increasing the value of what we have in UAB.
Finally, until a true visionary and not a person living in the 1950’s like Randall Woodfin rises out of the city limits, the area will continue to limp along INSTEAD of having explosive growth that is possible under the right conditions.
Hang on, i just finished my coffee. Albert, you’re not wrong. I would also add Regions. If Regions leaves it will be devastating, and that is a real possibility.
I want to make another point about livability, where I clearly disagree with the author.
Having been a Homewood and Hoover resident, do you know how long it takes me to get to a Best Buy from Homewood? Do you realize what all is NOT close by or accessible? Do you realize that West Oxmoor is awful? Brookwood is still closed. Hwy 280 is getting more and more strip mall-ish and certainly doesn’t offer a “livable” traffic situation. Homewood is fine for a UAB physician who is happy with basics in life. Getting in/out of the Summit as our only real mall option is a total PITA.
Hwy 280 is your main corridor and what a disaster that is.
How does Jasons Deli close on 280? How did Newks close? What’s taken over the old Best Buy in River Ridge? Lloyds is a car wash now. Whole Foods closed in Hoover. Ever seen that happen? Sprouts closed on 31. Don’t even get me started on Tattersal Park and Lee Branch. Think about what all else has closed down 280, your main growth track.
The stark lack of parks and outdoor activities doesn’t help. Red Mountain Park is a good start, but it does get old after a few times and there isn’t really another option unless you to pay for Oak Mountain (another 20-30 min drive).
So, no, it’s not a generally “livable” city for most. Go spend a month or two in DFW, ATL, NASH, etc and you’ll realize why people don’t want to leave. There are so many more lakes, walks, trails, parks, and free things to waste time with whether it’s a farmers market, festival, splash pad for the kids, or major event. Don’t spend a long weekend there, you’ll get overwhelmed, live there for a while. It takes years to discover all these cities have to offer while it takes a couple of weeks to see/do everything in Birmingham.
Now, I 100% agree not everyone wants/likes the same things, but those things I mentioned are not indicative of an area/region that’s thriving, OR positioned to thrive, AND especially not one that attracts the newcomers you want to attract.
This is reverse progress and no one listens because anyone who says such mean words is a “hater” right? I think you have a nick name for naysayers. But really, where is the upside?
Ivan, the area lacks action takers at the highest level.
People at the top positions around these parts are very comfortable with their lives and are EXTREMELY boring people.
I’d chuckle at folks talking about how great Huntsville and now Mobile are viewed , nowadays.
Huntsville has been around 200+ years. Mobile is 200+years old. And they are NOW becoming relevant? Hahaha
Electing fools like George C. Wallace set this state back 75 years.
Albert, I can’t speak for Gov. Wallace because I wasn’t around. All I can speak for is my own impressions from living in these other metros, coming back to Bham, and seeing how others my age/professional community view the city. We all have an appreciation for it because it’s kind of home, but we also cannot fathom spending the rest of our lives here either. I honestly feel like COL and home prices should be half to make it anywhere near worth it.
I don’t blame anything on the state level government as they’re very similar to other states that are very successful. I think it’s more awful local leadership OTM. Other cities are just as divided but it hasn’t stopped their suburbs from becoming stand alone powerhouses themselves.
What’s in a brand? I’m a volunteer docent at Nashville’s Parthenon. When giving an orientation to a group I ask them what’s a famous nickname for the city. Most of them immediately answer “Music City.” The small minority who are fans of the NHL Predators might say, “Smashville.” But almost a century ago, even before Birmingham was called the Magic City, Nashville was known as the “Athens of the South,” because of the many colleges and universities in the area. That explains why a full-sized replica of the Ancient Greek temple was constructed here for the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition.
Why am I telling this to folks in my longtime but now former hometown of Birmingham? Two reasons.
First, a brand, or nickname, can arise from the popular imagination and work its way into the civic consciousness without the benefit of professional marketers (I doubt they existed in the 1890s) using surveys, consumer tests, or focus groups. I’m not belittling what a firm such as Luckie can provide the Birmingham metro area to help create a brand identity. But the marketers should listen closely to the identity of the area as expressed first among the general population, even negative opinions, before a single survey is distributed. What’s everyone saying on social media, for example?
Second, I want to respond to Natalie Davis’s plea for attention to the plight of Birmingham-Southern and the many employees who lost their jobs when the College closed. When Nashville became known as the Athens of the South, the colleges and universities—Vanderbilt, Belmont, Libscomb, Fisk—embodied the region’s finest examples of a general education. The liberal arts, if you will. They weren’t originally business, professional, or technical universities. Yes, UAB provides excellent healthcare and medical training, and it is THE economic engine for Birmingham. But I would ask city leaders to consider what was lost with BSC’s closing. I might say it contributed to the “heart” of the city’s identity, as opposed to the “head” represented by UAB. I’d further urge them to take Dr. Davis’s pleas seriously by bringing the College or its campus back to life through any means possible, with the liberal arts as the core of its historic—and future—mission.
It’s almost like Birmingham is cursed. I wonder why that is?
To move forward, you must deal with your past.
Atlanta used to be your competition. Now your competition is Huntsville. I wouldn’t be surprised if Huntsville passes Birmingham in population in the next 15-20 years. There’s bad energy over Birmingham. People who don’t live there can feel it. And everybody there keeps hoping a mixed use development or a Starbucks is going to clean the air.
Maybe I am perceived as negative. Maybe a public poll through Survey Monkey would offer more insight into what keeps Birmingham from flourishing when Nashville, Charlotte, Chattanooga, Atlanta, Raleigh-Durham, Orlando and Hunstville can’t build homes fast enough.