Canada: A slogan not worth the money
In the middle of a global recession, Calgary, Alberta, wants to spend $1 million to “rebrand” itself, said Michael Platt in The Calgary Sun.
Michael Platt
The Calgary Sun
In the middle of a global recession, Calgary, Alberta, wants to spend $1 million to “rebrand” itself, said Michael Platt. Nine years ago, we spent that amount to come up with our current motto, “Heart of the New West.” Sure, it’s “a bit sad and pretty lame as slogans go”—but we’re just starting to get used to it. The welcome signs with the New West logo have been up at the city’s borders for only two years. Shouldn’t we give them a chance to inspire potential tourists before we rip them down and start over? We certainly haven’t noticed any other cities reaping great harvests of tourists with their own expensive slogans. “Toronto’s ‘You Belong Here’ is weak, while Regina’s ‘I love Regina’ sounds like a city trying to reassure itself—there, there, it’s not so bad.” Calgary should face the hard truth: The only time outsiders ever come to “this frozen prairie metropolis” in western Canada is when they’re on their way to the mountains of Banff. So if we must rebrand, maybe we should go with: “Calgary: It’s close to Banff.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
What's the future of FEMA under Trump?
Today's Big Question The president has lambasted the agency and previously floated disbanding it altogether
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
5 helpful items to have at the ready when the power goes out
The Week Recommends Be prepared so you can stay plugged in
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
Ex-Sen. Bob Menendez sentenced to 11 years
Speed Read The former New Jersey senator was convicted on federal bribery and corruption charges last year
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Malaysia: Hiding something or just incompetent?
feature It is “painful to watch” how Malaysia has embarrassed itself before the world with its bungled response to the missing plane.
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Tunisia: The only bloom of the Arab Spring
feature After years of “stormy discussions and intellectual tug-of-war,” Tunisia has emerged as a secular democracy.
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Australia: It takes two to reconcile
feature To move beyond Australia’s colonialist past, we Aborigines must forgive.
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Israel: Ariel Sharon’s ambiguous legacy
feature Ariel Sharon played a key role at every major crossroads Israel faced in his adult life.
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
South Africa: Trying to live up to Mandela
feature That South Africa was prepared for the death of Nelson Mandela is one of his greatest legacies.
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
China: Staking a claim to the air and the sea
feature China has declared an air defense identification zone over the East China Sea that includes a set of islands claimed by Japan.
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
China: Is our aid to the Philippines too meager?
feature China donated $100,000 to the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan, but later increased the amount to $1.6 million.
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Philippines: A calamitous response to calamity
feature “Where is the food, where is the water? Where are the military collecting the dead?”
By The Week Staff Last updated