‘Friendly’ strategy without the curse
Ludlow outlines action plan
The latest marketing strategy to promote Invercargill as a familyfriendly place is like ‘‘Invergiggle without the curse’’, the city’s deputy mayor says.
The ‘‘Friendly’’ brand has been developed over the past few years in response to a 2010 survey by Capital Development Company that found the city’s point of difference was how attractive it was for families. In 2010 former Wellington mayor Mark Blumsky – who coowns Capital Development Company – floated ideas including changing the city’s name to ‘‘Invergiggle’’ for a week each year to coincide with a children’s comedy festival.
The controversial proposal was shot down by councillors but deputy mayor Darren Ludlow said many of the concepts being driven under the ‘‘Friendly’’ banner were inspired by Blumsky’s report.
An action plan for the brand includes the construction of a playground on the green space outside the Number 10 Youth Health Centre as part of stage two or three of the inner-city upgrade.
Ludlow also expected a conversation in the next 12 months about having an arts hub on the outskirts of the CBD. The cost of those projects would be dependant on their scale and there would be public consultation on how they were funded if the council was to pay for them, he said.
‘‘Unfortunately [‘Invergiggle’] was something that got picked up on and wasn’t portrayed well in the media,’’ Ludlow said.
‘‘But the overwhelming feedback when people were asked what the best thing was about living in the south was that it’s a great place to be a kid and to raise a family. ‘‘That’s our point of difference. The ‘Friendly’ brand achieves a lot of the same things [that ‘Invergiggle’ would have] but without the same curse.’’
Ludlow said the council’s Child, Youth and Family Friendly subcommittee was ‘‘starting to get good traction’’.
Businesses including including the Don St Toy Library and Chipmunks were already ‘‘Friendly’’ accredited, and several other organisations including H & J Smith had expressed interest.
A business, place or event that received ‘‘Friendly’’ accreditation had to fulfil a list of criteria, Ludlow said.
‘‘They get a certificate and other merchandise to show people that they’re ‘Friendly’," he said.
Ludlow said the subcommittee was against aspects of the council’s plan to disestablish 25 playgrounds in Invercargill and Bluff.
The council resolved in June to proceed with a proposal to remove playground equipment from the sites to save money on maintenance.
Each playground will be assessed on a case-by-case basis before decisions are made on their future.
‘‘When I sit on this committee it has an entirely different set of objectives [to the full council],’’ Ludlow said.
‘‘Because kids are at the heart of everything we want aspirationally, it’s a very emotive thing. It’s great that people are speaking out.’’