The two-day Cities Summit last week was a tweet-orgy for urban wonks, such as myself and everyone I know.
But, as I noted in my story, the real purpose of the get-together was to act as a giant flashing digital billboard for Vancouver: We’re more than just mountains and glass condos, honest! Come here and do business! Please!! We’re hip and wired!!!! Here’s our mayor to tell you!!!!!!
There were other fun moments, though. As I tweeted, Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi is a one-person story-telling quote machine. He explained useful applications of open data in a way I’ve never really heard before. Google the stories about him and you’ll see.
Apparently this is going to become an annual event. If you don’t know what open data is yet, btw, you will by the end of the decade.
One last thing I want to know: Can this blog get one of the “Made in Vancouver” widget thingies launched at the summit? I believe this is truly a local manufacturing concern of great note. There’s a reason why every newsroom I’ve ever worked in was called the Word Factory and here you have an artisan product, but with the same fine industrial principles underlying it.
Plus there are at least 5,000 visitors in a year. Unless only 10 of you are hitting the keyboard 150,000 times apiece.
57 responses so far ↓
1 Glissando Remmy // Feb 8, 2012 at 12:53 pm
Thought of The Day
“Made Up Inside City Hall has nothing to do with Made In Vancouver. What-so-ever!”
Chris Keam #14
“One comment I would make is that there is no finer example of branding at work than the Glissando Remmy persona. Even has a slogan/tag line.”
Gee, thanks.
However, I have to remind you one thing.
I’m not attending a popularity contest.
I am not in competition with others for name recognition.
I do not pursue monetary compensation.
I am not trying to take over a piece of the market place pie.
I am not shamelessly aiming for photo-ops, TV flashes, or ink in the papers.
On-The-Contrary.
Look again at the pathetic widget:
http://www.vanmade.ca/
That shouts at you Made In… City Hall!
That’s not the symbol/ logo for Vancouver, naah, take a walk in Stanley Park , walk by the 9 o’clock cannon, and look back at the city…
That Vancouver skyline, is the symbol of Vancouver! And if you insist, go back to the City Hall’s street level parking lot, sit right where Cllor Louie “doesn’t” park his car and look back at the city, towards the Lions.
That’s another Vancouver symbol!
Better read my comment #6 again!
“Branding is a form of third party shameless self promotion, a stay ahead of the curve, a Tommy Hillfiger name on the a back of your jacket, a Gucci handbag in your bony hand.
And all this in cooperation with, ahem, the City of Vancouver… tzaap?
Ballem gave her consent? Wonder, what would Solomon say? Does he approve of this?”
And if you have the time, pick up a copy of Naomi Klein’s “No Logo”, and read it!
Ok, then.
There! Following your suggestion and, for this time only… No slogan, No Tag Line, No Logo!
2 mezzanine // Feb 8, 2012 at 2:17 pm
@MB 49
i agree with much of what you say, but practically, it’s won’t happen for the near future. even trying to install smart meters is an ordeal and i am not sure if we would have the system up and running smoothly as scheduled. trying to implement time-of-use surcharges would be anethema, now anyway, right after installation.
and selling privately generated power – larger scale run-of-river private power projects have run into problems politcally with this. otherwise, looking at a similar jursidiction, it has required ++ subsidies for this to happen. google “ontario opposing wind farms” and you will also see the the public doesn’t have 100% buy-in either.
and clarify – if we do invest into ‘greener’ power, how exactly will this translate into jobs? I agree to move to greeener power for lots of reasons, but “jobs” wouldn’t be a main reason.
3 MB // Feb 8, 2012 at 3:31 pm
Chris, what came first, the city or the brand?
Im attended a lecture a couple of years ago by a “communications expert” on branding one of Vancouver’s blandest suburbs as a major economic program. It was so sad, like suggesting we could packaging air.
Authenticity and originality are their own brands.
4 MB // Feb 8, 2012 at 3:40 pm
Mezz, I’m just saying that hosting conferences on the economy that don’t address the economy at the larger scale is a bit ridiculous.
Resources, energy, urban development, and the corporate presence in Vancouver surroundking these elements are what Vancouver has been historically.
The next question is, What best suits Vancouver economically in the first half of the 21st Century? Somehow I don’t see Electronic Arts having a unique influence in 2040 like I do energy-related companies (public or private).
But PR — now there’s a field with a bright future!
5 Chris Keam // Feb 8, 2012 at 9:07 pm
@MB:
“Authenticity and originality are their own brands.”
Sometimes true, but what is also true is that it’s just as often a second or third iteration of an original idea that really takes off. Very often it’s due to good marketing and branding.
Packaging air was an interesting example. You’ve described bubble wrap, which is a very successful product, and further, I would argue that when we tout Vancouver’s environment as a selling feature we are in some fashion marketing (clean) air and branding ourselves as the place to find it.
6 Glissando Remmy // Feb 8, 2012 at 10:37 pm
LMAO!
MB #54,
“It was so sad, like suggesting we could packaging air.”
You know what’s funny about what you just wrote?
In Israel, Christians and Jews alike are selling Canned Air from inside Jesus Christ’s tomb… for decades!
And the business is as good as it was the day it started.
Wonder if they ever thought of going public, you know, an IPO just like Facebook, anytime soon… 🙂
7 MB // Feb 10, 2012 at 12:55 pm
Chris, Coca-Cola is a very powerful brand recognized around the world. I’ll conceed it’s success is due largely to packaging and marketing. I enjoy the odd can myself.
But is remains, after all, just sugared, carbonated, flavoured water.
I hope that this conference is about much more than packaging, marketing and branding, and actually delves into the character of the container’s contents.