More than 1,500 people in 42 countries shared their views while the website recorded 7,000 visits. In addition, the conversation reached more than 400,000 Facebook and Twitter users worldwide.
The people of Glasgow are at the heart of the new brand which will promote the city to the world. Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council and Chair of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau (GCMB), introduced “People Make Glasgow” as the city’s new brand today (Friday, June 28) at the Glasgow Film Theatre.
During April and May, GCMB engaged the people of Glasgow in a conversation aimed at shaping the new brand; encouraging residents, visitors and fans of the city across the globe to have their say at whatmakesglasgowgreat.co.uk.
More than 1,500 people in 42 countries shared their views while the website recorded 7,000 visits. In addition, the conversation reached more than 400,000 Facebook and Twitter users worldwide.
Councillor Matheson said: “Glasgow is a warm, welcoming and genuinely friendly city, because the people are. We’re an ambitious, inventive and entrepreneurial city, because the people are. And we’re a down to earth, to the point, no nonsense city, because the people are. We work well together, we get things done and we make things happen.
“People Make Glasgow reflects the Glaswegian character. It’s bold, friendly, confident, and it evokes a real sense of pride. The people of Glasgow are at the heart of this brand; we have created something which presents a truly distinctive identity for the city and on behalf of Glasgow I would like to warmly thank all those who gave their ideas so generously.”
Glasgow City Marketing Bureau (GCMB) revealed that from the hundreds of contributions received, words such as real, smart, home, creative, bright and better came through, time and time again, when describing Glasgow, with some saying they were proud to call the city a home from home, or the home of invention, while others referenced Glasgow as the real face of Scotland; a city full of talented and creative people where the future is bright.
Councillor Matheson said: “Over the past five weeks we have reviewed all of the contributions from Glaswegians and from across the globe. We also interviewed more than 40 of Glasgow’s leaders from the private, public and academic sectors and, overwhelmingly, they told us that what makes Glasgow great is its people.”
People Make Glasgow has a strong geometric typeface that draws on the city’s shipbuilding heritage and the unmistakable style and colour palettes employed by Glasgow’s world-renowned cultural icon, Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The brand’s keynote ruby colour is passionate while the photography reflects the city’s unique personality.
Councillor Matheson said: “This is a brand for everyone, which the people of Glasgow have helped to shape and will continue to do so. Throughout the lifespan of the brand the people of Glasgow will be encouraged to add to it and enhance it with their own stories and images, helping to paint a genuine picture of the city and all it has to offer.
“One of the real strengths of this brand is its flexibility. It can be adapted for different audiences to highlight Glasgow’s key strengths.”
Glasgow City Council’s five year Strategic Plan to 2017 and the industry-led Glasgow Economic Leadership (GEL) group identified the development of a compelling and cohesive new brand as a major driver through which to articulate the city’s credentials across life sciences; financial and business services; low carbon industries; engineering; manufacturing and design; higher and further education; and tourism and major events – each of which are priority growth sectors for Glasgow going forward.
At the same time, Glasgow will be in the spotlight next year like never before when a staggering 1.5 billion TV viewers around the world will focus their attention on the city for the Commonwealth Games.
Glasgow City Council has committed £500,000 this financial year to develop and promote the brand in key sectors in the UK and across the world.
Councillor Matheson said: “There’s never been a more exciting time to be in Glasgow. We’re the principal powerhouse of the Scottish economy; the cultural, sporting, engineering and academic heart of the country; and we’re now one of Europe’s top financial centres. We have a remarkable business tourism sector and we’re the number one retail destination in the UK outside of London. We have a highly educated workforce and, in recent years, Glasgow is the only major city in the UK where youth unemployment has fallen.
“Such is the transformation of this city that Glasgow now accounts for almost 40% of Scotland’s wealth generation – Glasgow is good for Scotland. That success comes from the sheer hard work of the people who live here. People make Glasgow better. People make Glasgow prosper.
“We’re also on the starting blocks as we approach one year to go until we host the Commonwealth Games – and all of this is underpinned by being home to a growing, well educated and skilled workforce.”
Scott Taylor, Chief Executive of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, said: “We have created and delivered an amazing process – it’s crowd branding on a global scale. No other city has branded itself through social media in this way and no other city-brand identifies its best asset as its people.”
Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Principal of the University of Strathclyde and Chairman of the Glasgow Economic Leadership Board, said: “This launch is another milestone in Glasgow’s ‘renaissance’ and it celebrates what makes us a great city. It is absolutely fitting that the city is putting its citizens front and centre with the new brand.
“Glasgow’s people are the lifeblood of the city and they make it unique and exciting. The huge changes Glasgow has undergone in the past 50 years have been brought about by our people working together to make a difference and the new brand reflects that spirit. Our new brand will provide a platform to show the world Glasgow’s strengths and act to attract investment, growth and opportunity to our fine city.”
Glasgow Chamber of Commerce chief executive Stuart Patrick said: “On behalf of the business community, we warmly welcome the new brand. It’s fitting that it has been delivered with the help of the people of the city, as we couldn’t agree more that the main selling points for attracting business and investment are Glaswegians and their skills. Now our job is to go out and use the brand’s core message to sell Glasgow to the world.”
Amanda McMillan, Managing Director of Glasgow Airport, said: “People fly to destinations for a memorable experience and in Glasgow it’s the people who create those experiences. The process of developing this brand has been world-class and in People Make Glasgow we have an international brand through which we can tell the world just how great Glaswegians really are.”
David Grevemberg, CEO of Glasgow 2014, said: “Glasgow is a vibrant and welcoming city shaped by the warmth of its people and this new brand captures this beautifully.”
Photo caption: Leader of Glasgow City Council and Chair of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau (GCMB), Councillor Gordon Matheson revealed Glasgow’s new brand at the Glasgow Film Theatre (GFT) where it was projected onto screen one.
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