Community partners share Calgary's new brand

CALGARY, AB, April 17, 2024 /CNW/ - Calgary's community partners have come together at Calgary Economic Development's 2024 Report to the Community to share "Blue Sky City" – Calgary's new brand.

The new brand tells a story about Calgary being a city of blue-sky thinking and innovation, a place of unexpected possibilities and a place of confluence — where peoples, lands, cultures and ideas converge. By celebrating the history and diversity of Calgary, it is designed to reflect all Calgarians.

The Blue Sky City brand also serves as a reference to Calgary being the sunniest city in Canada with 333 days of sunshine each year.

"We know Calgary is an incredible place to call home. We consistently get top ranks for livability, affordability and quality of life, but we haven't been able to clearly articulate this story to ourselves or people outside our city," said Brad Parry, President and CEO, Calgary Economic Development and CEO, Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund. "It's time to tell our own story or continue having others tell it for us. A strong, authentic and aspirational brand supports long-term growth and will align us around a shared vision for the future." 

Research conducted by Calgary Economic Development and Tourism Calgary showed Calgarians didn't feel represented in the city's brand and those outside Alberta had a one-dimensional view of the city. In response, the two organizations, in partnership with the City of Calgary, undertook a process to identify a new brand that was reflective of all Calgarians.

To create a more inclusive and representative brand for the city, the business community, government, equity-deserving communities, Indigenous communities, youth groups, not-for-profits, community associations and arts groups were engaged in the process. This engagement was inclusive of a broad range of individuals, taking into account age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and geographic location.

In total, 129 organizations across 26 sectors were engaged at every phase of the brand work through interviews, workshops, cross-country focus groups and surveys.

"Tourism Calgary works every day to promote our destination to national and international audiences. As an evolving city, we wanted to gain a deeper understanding of how Calgarians see our city, and what resonates for them about who our city is and how we can better tell that story collectively," said Cindy Ady, CEO, Tourism Calgary.  "As we look ahead, our team will be working together with our many local business partners and community to understand how to best make our city's brand come to life."

"This brand belongs to all Calgarians, and it's a reflection of what Calgarians believe their city is today and what they aspire it to be. Our story is about opportunity and unexpected possibilities," said Parry.

While the organizations released a new identity, it is only the first step in the brand rollout with a logo and other visual elements to follow, and each partner will integrate the new brand in their storytelling in the weeks and months to come.

At Calgary Economic Development's Report to the Community, Parry also shared several highlights from the past year.

2023 highlights

• Calgary Economic Development created or retained more than 7,000 jobs and attracted more than $734 million in investments.
• Calgary Economic Development generated over 253 work-integrated learning opportunities – including 185 opportunities for students from equity-deserving groups – and engaged 48 employers across Calgary.
• Calgary Economic Development's EDGE UP program completed its mandate by successfully upskilling 369 graduates, 80 per cent of whom are now employed in tech or pursuing further training.
• Calgary was a top destination for investment, closing 64 venture capital deals valued at $501 million.
• For every dollar committed by the Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund (OCIF), Calgary has generated $11 back in additional economic activity, spurring a projected total of $870 million in economic activity.
• By the end of 2023, OCIF has committed $86.2 million to 28 projects. These projects have resulted in the creation or retention of more than 3,300 jobs and the creation or expansion of 630 companies.
• Calgary won Location of the Year at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, and the city rose to eighth place for Best Cities to Live and Work as a Movie Maker.

For more information contact:
Grace Fullerton
Manager, Communications
Cell: 403-880-7040
Email: [email protected]

Calgary Economic Development is an opportunity-maker, helping to spark and fuel Calgary's growth. Our job is to connect people with resources that can help them grow their careers or businesses, thrive in new locations or markets and feel at home in our community. We steward the economic strategy, Calgary in the New Economy with the mandate to position Calgary for long-term economic success by supporting the expansion, retention and acquisition of companies, capital and talent. We offer a wealth of information to help everyone succeed and we tirelessly promote Calgary, in Canada and around the world. For more information, please visit our website at www.calgaryeconomicdevelopment.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

SOURCE Calgary Economic Development Ltd.