Logo to help boost Wolverhampton's image
A logo designed to symbolise and capture Wolverhampton’s diversity is to be used by the council in a new marketing drive to improve the city’s image, following concerns that outsiders sometimes have a negative perception of it.
The ‘W’ symbol has already been used on promotional material issued by the council and also to advertise a number of recent public events in the city.
Enterprise bosses are striving to build a strong brand that reflects the more positive attributes and ambitious regeneration activities that are taking place in local communities and businesses in and around the area – hopefully with a view to attracting more outside investment.
Head of Enterprise at Wolverhampton Council, Isobel Woods, said: “We are working to improve the city’s overall reputation which will help boost economic growth and increase footfall in the city.
“The ‘W’ symbol itself is multi-layered, which reflects our wonderful heritage and culture. We will now be taking this forward in our branding.
“We have a lot of original things here in Wolverhampton, so it is unfair when the city is sometimes portrayed as having a poor reputation by some media.
“We need to believe in what we are doing and generate an excellent city-wide, national and international profile. People here collaborate well and our many partnerships are often viewed with envy by other local authorities (LAs),” she added.
Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Claire Darke, asked if the Enterprise department would be looking at doing some merchandising to help promote the city.
“I have heard a lot of people who visit say they want to buy something that says ‘Wolverhampton’ on it.
“We need to celebrate all the wonderful things we have – our blue plaques and some amazingly beautiful buildings. At the moment we don’t have any mugs or fridge magnets – those types of souvenir. We only really have the Wolverhampton Wanderers merchandise,” she added.
Ms Woods said she would look into the possible options of something tangible being produced to help promote the city’s image.
“We have a five-year strategy plan in place for more public events designed to boost footfall and will be reviewing the situation again in six months,” she added.
Members of the city’s vibrant and sustainable city scrutiny panel were also shown a short promotional film showcasing Wolverhampton.
Councillor Jacqui Sweetman, who chairs the panel, said: “I would like to see how we are monitoring the way in which we are selling Wolverhampton to people. I’d like to see some figures relating to footfall.”
The aim of the marketing strategy is to show a city that portrays a warmth and friendliness from the people who live here, and the fact there is a history of honesty, endeavour, enterprise and evolution.
“Wolverhampton needs to have an identity that moves the pride many people expressed in the past into the present and the future. We want to be known as a city which has a narrative of ‘can do’ rather than ‘used to’,” said Ms Woods.
