New brand deserves support: Economic Development Winnipeg

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This article was published 12/06/2022 (881 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

While the “Winnipeg: Made from what’s real” slogan has sparked mixed reviews (including plenty of criticism), Economic Development Winnipeg is urging municipal politicians to help build up the brand.

“It’s new and some people aren’t so great with change… We knew that going into the process that we were never going to get a sugar-coated response from Winnipeggers. It’s part of our city’s culture to say what we think,” Dayna Spiring, president and chief executive office of Economic Development Winnipeg, told members of council’s innovation and economic development committee Monday.

“We may not all agree on the slogan, but telling a better story about our city matters.”

Spiring urged committee members to help promote it and its accompanying abstract logo, as well as all of the key attractions Winnipeg has to offer, to help change a “sometimes over-the-top self-deprecating narrative of our city.”

The comments come after a varied response on social media. Many deemed the new slogan generic and uninformative, while others argued the words would be better used to sell beer, hot dogs or other edible items.

The slogan is paired with an abstract logo, which EDW found can resemble a ‘W’ and an ‘M’ separated by a line, a snowflake or a machinery cog. Negative social-media posts claimed the image looked like a body part that typically remains covered.

On the flip side, some posters said they immediately liked the slogan and logo, or the brand grew on them as they got used to it. Some agreed with the economic development organization that the words reflect the authenticity of Winnipeggers themselves.

Spiring has been happy overall with the rollout of the brand and believes promotional videos are catching on, she told media.

“I’m cautiously optimistic that more people like this logo than don’t and more people are starting to understand what we’re trying to do with it than don’t, and I think that that’s the essence of a place brand anyways. It’s a platform. It’s something that we start to be able to tell our story based upon,” she said.

“We talk about sometimes Winnipeggers being underdogs. We’re underdogs but we overachieve in so many areas and that’s the story that I want to tell. That’s real.”

While Mayor Brian Bowman has announced the slogan will cover large visitor welcoming signs placed at the outskirts of the city, Coun. Markus Chambers said Winnipeggers shouldn’t expect the brand to replace all other municipal symbols.

“Our crest has been part of our city for hundreds of years now and continues to be… This brand that was created by Economic Development Winnipeg will not replace any City of Winnipeg logos or crests,” said Chambers, head of the innovation committee.

When asked for his personal take on the brand, Chambers deemed it “great” that the logo attracts diverse interpretations.

“(That) is what will inspire Winnipeggers to speak out, whether positively or negatively, about it, but it’s about that conversation and if we’re having a conversation about the City of Winnipeg, that can’t be wrong.”

The new brand should help promote the city to outsiders, Chambers said, adding he believes more work is needed to combat crime and beautify the city in order to improve Winnipeg’s image among its own residents.

“It’s more than just a slogan, there’s a lot of work that needs to be done… the City of Winnipeg is a part of that puzzle,” said Chambers.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

Joyanne Pursaga
Reporter

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Joyanne loves to tell the stories of this city, especially when politics is involved. Joyanne became the city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press in early 2020.

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