City of Gold Coast has established a new entity to develop a Gold Coast brand representing more than tourism, theme parks and meter maids.
Council last week resolved to establish Brand Gold Coast to take the City into the future and help it compete in both the Australian and global marketplace.
The new entity, Brand Gold Coast, is inspired by similar bodies in Tasmania and New Zealand.
It will be established as a controlled entity with council as its only shareholder.
Council says the body will be tasked with building ownership of the city’s brand, defining the Gold Coast story, and strengthening its reputation locally, nationally, and internationally.
Brand Gold Coast will also work to promote Gold Coast products and services and undertake brand research and management.
The Gold Coast has launched branding campaigns in the past but Mayor Tom Tait says this new initiative is a critical step for a rapidly growing City – with a current population of 650,000 expected to hit 1 million by 2040 – that wants to claim a place on the global stage.
“To be clear, this is not about a new logo and or new tourism marketing campaigns. It’s about story-telling and defining who we are,” Cr Tate said.
“In essence, place-based branding is about telling our City’s story. It’s about ensuring that the Gold Coast continues to shine brightly on the world stage, not just as a place to visit, but as a place to live, work, and invest.”
Brand entities in New Zealand and Tasmania had managed to turn around perceptions within a very short time frame, he said.
“Sheep and penal colonies are no longer what we immediately think of for those two locations and make no mistake – this was an intentional strategic move with significant economic impacts.
“Place branding will help relaunch how the world sees us. They will finally know what we already do – that the Gold Coast is the best place in the world to live work and invest.”
Council CEO Tim Baker, who’s worked with Brand Tasmania CEO Todd Babiak in the past, says it’s hoped Brand Gold Coast will address outdated perceptions of the coast and allow a more contemporary narrative to shine through.
“It is building on the City Reputation work that has been underway in council and within our entities and embedding a new Gold Coast story locally, nationally and internationally,” he says.
“The current approach, based on collaboration and partnerships, is important but is not enough to fundamentally shift outdated perceptions about who we are as a city and what we want to be known for.
Brand Gold Coast will be established using existing council funds and resources.
“This is about everyone pulling together to tell a cohesive brand story to the world that will allow the Gold coast to stand out from the crowd and compete in the both the Australian and global market place,’’ he said.
It’s hoped establishment of the new entity and recruitment of a CEO will be finalised by the end of the year, followed by a period of research and consultation to identify what the new brand will look like.
It comes as the Place Branding Australia 2024 Conference running from June 12-13 hears about the latest approaches to place branding from Australian and international experts.
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