<p>In many developing countries, satellite cities play an important role as feeder cities for major metropolitan areas, responding to rapid population growth and spatial transformation. Staying competitive and attracting visitors requires effective city branding strategies, which are often shaped by the physical environment and experience. We examine the spatial dynamics of city popularity in Balikpapan, a satellite city designated as the New Capital of Indonesia, Nusantara, using a data-driven approach that integrates place popularity data and nighttime light intensity analysis. The city shows a relatively homogeneous distribution of light intensity, which indicates widespread human and economic activity throughout the city. However, the average popularity of city brand objects remains below 45%, and key growth areas are not consistently aligned with high popularity zones. Furthermore, the density map of popular places shows that areas with moderate light intensity and city brand objects do not always reflect high levels of strong public perception or spatial attachment. According to the results of this study, city growth alone does not ensure popularity, highlighting the need for targeted branding efforts to improve the city’s image. Focusing on the spatial relationship between physical development and perceived attractiveness, this study provides a deeper understanding of city branding in emerging satellite cities. In a context where Balikpapan is evolving as a satellite city adjacent to Indonesia’s new capital, the results of this study underline the importance of building distributed urban popularity and managing growth through evidence-based spatial branding.</p>