Postcard-perfect portrayal at play
BRANDING GREATER GEELONG AS AN ENVIABLE DESTINATION TO LIVE, WORK, INVEST, STUDY, AND PLAY WITH A DIVERSE ARRAY OF PRISTINE NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS
FOR many decades Geelong was known for its close connection with heavy manufacturing and as a regional industrial powerhouse. The identity of Geelong was shaken when Ford and Alcoa reduced its workforce.
In 2016, the Committee for Geelong published Winning from Second, which incorporated key findings from a global study tour of international mid-tier or second cities. One of the key recommendations was to consider the importance of a brand for Geelong.
The report said that “A new brand for Geelong needs to align with its vision and aspirations, but also needs to be an honest refection of the city’s character: branding needs to lead, but not from too far in front”.
In 2022, we will see a new brand identity for Geelong launched, so what is it all about?
Place branding is about creating a brand around a unified identity to promote a city or region to audiences considering living, visiting, studying, or investing in that region.
It’s about making people feel something about a place – excitement, pride, belonging, intrigue, or desire.
Places across the world such as Glasgow, Helsinki, and Great Britain, as well as Brisbane, Tasmania and Newcastle closer to home, have successfully used place branding to boost visitor economies, attract new residents, build higher education reputations and to lure new and diverse businesses.
As we grapple with post-pandemic life and put in place investments and plans to recover, innovate, and thrive, how we tell the Greater Geelong story is more important than ever.
The time is right for Geelong and the Bellarine to embrace a new and iconic brand which can speak to business
leaders, Melbourne and Victorian residents seeking a regional life, tertiary students and to tourists.
A place brand can advance our global competitiveness, showcase and celebrate the region, strengthen our collective story and actively aid our Covid-19 recovery journey.
What will the brand showcase?
The brand will market Greater Geelong as an enviable destination to live, work, invest, study, and play with a diverse array of pristine natural environments connected by the best community lifestyle Australia has to offer. It will promote the rich cultural and industry history of the region, our aspirations for a clever and creative future as well as key attractions like comparatively attractive property prices, diverse job and study opportunities, wide-open green spaces and our great people.
What are our goals?
A DYNAMIC and thriving central Geelong home to 10,000 people. INCREASED numbers of visitors who stay and spend more.
Pre Covid, we attracted six million visitors annually to the region and we need to fast-track tourism recovery, but also entice visitors to stay longer.
This means more dollars spent locally and growth in tourism jobs.
MORE residents. Greater Geelong is already experiencing rapid population growth and ensuring we continue to secure a major share of regional migration, whilst keeping what people love about living here, is essential.
WE WANT to create the jobs of the future by increasing the diversity of businesses here, including expanding technology-based businesses and attracting more start-ups.
OUR arts, culture and creative credentials are shown by our UNESCO Creative Cities Network City of Design designation. We aspire to a greater share of our region’s workforce being employed in the creative industries and an inclusive arts and culture scene.
AN ACTIVE and vocal community. We are connected to our living Indigenous heritage and becoming more culturally diverse.