City's new place brand, slogan aim to tell the world Winnipeg is 'made from what's real'

A new marketing campaign will soon appear in movie theatres, on TV, online and in social media, aimed at drawing more tourists, talent and investment to Winnipeg by convincing them the city is "made from what's real."

Economic Development Winnipeg and Travel Manitoba announced "Winnipeg: Made from what's real" as the city's new slogan and place branding initiative on Wednesday.

The branding "will be used to market our city to the world and attract more talent, investment and visitors," while attempting to encapsulate and reflect something genuine that defines the city and its people, the development and tourism agencies said in a news release.

The slogan stems from "a realness and sincerity to how Winnipeggers talk about this city," the release said.

"I've continually said that Winnipeg is ripe for opportunity as a place to work, visit and do business," Dayna Spiring, president and CEO of Economic Development Winnipeg, said at a Wednesday news conference to launch the rebrand.

"We need to be ambassadors for this city, to be loud and proud about Winnipeg — what it offers us, our families and our future."

The rebrand replaces the previous slogan, "Winnipeg: Heart of the continent."

During the unveiling, Spiring threw to a promotional video that cycles through glamour shots of the city.

True North Square, Thermea, Winnipeg's skating trail, the Esplanade Riel and Canadian Museum for Human Rights make appearances, alongside scenic shots of Prairie fields, live festivals, cultural events, celebratory Winnipeg Jets and Blue Bomber fans, the Assiniboine Park Zoo's polar bear exhibit and more.

Colin Ferguson, president and CEO of Travel Manitoba, which collaborated on the rebrand, said rebuilding the Manitoba tourism industry "from the ravages of the pandemic" requires branding that pushes pride in local businesses and community members, and draws in visitors.

He said Travel Manitoba has helped a dozen other Manitoba locations come up with place branding since 2017, including Flin Flon and the Whiteshell.

Reaction to the slogan was mixed on social media.

Spiring said Economic Development Winnipeg and Travel Manitoba arrived at the slogan after two years of research. The results suggested Winnipeggers are proud of "the ingenuity, creativity and industriousness" of the city, she said.

"We need to tell a story of Winnipeg written by Winnipeggers, one that is reflective of what our city is today: innovative, creative, connected, diverse and so much more," said Spiring.

"The story we tell is key to attracting more business, investment, visitors and people to Winnipeg."