The need for an integrated city brand has been something that many in the public and private sectors have been acutely aware of for many years.
For too long we have let our identify be shaped by others, without a strong grasp of what makes this city great.
There is a need to shift perceptions of Canberra and to encourage more people to engage with Canberra as a place to live, work, learn, visit and invest.
At the end of November we revealed the Brand Canberra project publicly for the first time. A three month community consultation program is now under way to determine how the brand program will be brought to life. The full brand program will be revealed in March 2014.
The essence of the Brand Canberra project is that we’re a city with brilliant possibilities. We’re confident, we’re bold and we’re ready to take on our second century.
Confident Bold and Ready are three words which frame a new way of thinking about Canberra. It’s not a tagline or positioning statement – they are simply three words we used in the brand development process to frame the thinking and we encourage everyone to think in a similar manner – to be confident, to be bold and to be ready for Canberra’s future, because collectively, we can grasp the opportunities on offer in all walks of life in the Territory.
Having a strong brand makes good business sense. If we can attract more people and more money to Canberra it means more skills, more jobs, more services, greater prosperity and a better way of life.
It has the potential to attract and retain talent, bring new business to Canberra, stimulate investment in new infrastructure, create public private partnership opportunities and position Canberra as a place for big ideas and major initiatives.
For the past 15 months, there has been a brand development project running in parallel with the Centenary that has been driven by public and private sector collaboration. For the brand to succeed in achieving its aims we must continue to engage with all our stakeholders.
I’d like to acknowledge the important role that the Canberra Business Council, Chamber of Commerce as well as a number of business leaders in contributing to the development of the brand. This is crucial in ensuring that the brand is something that business feel a connection to and are able to use to promote themselves and this city.
The Brand is important because it unites the various unique elements of our local and regional story in a consistent, single story and builds on the success and momentum of the Centenary.
The result is a new city brand for Canberra and the region that captures our unique attributes, values and personality.
I encourage you all to visit www.brandcanberra. com.au and see how you can work with it, and be a part of the story.
Andrew Barr
Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
www.andrewbarr.com.au
