Marketing and engagement refresh for city's changing face

Council has resolved to place on public exhibition a new marketing and engagement strategy befitting the city's stunning revitalisation.
 
The draft 2018-21 City Marketing and Engagement Strategy seeks to capitalise on the city's changing face by strengthening promotion of Newcastle as a tourism destination and better informing and engaging our community.
 

The strategy follows calls for more information about what's happening in Newcastle and for more opportunities to have a say in local decision-making

Council also resolved to adopt the 'City of Newcastle' as its organisational name, instead of 'Newcastle City Council', to reflect the transition into a smart, liveable and sustainable global city.

"Both the name change and marketing and engagement strategy are about promoting the city's image to be consistent with a large Australian city," Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.

"We've listened to what the community told us and we are delivering on our commitment to improve and protect services. 

"We are ultimately the managers of rate payer money and this strategy is about ensuring that we maximise our return on the 10 million tourists who descend on Newcastle and the Hunter each year. 

"Furthermore, it will help residents understand the extent of the facilities and services that Council provides by better communicating our responsibility for the Bathers Way, Newcastle Museum, Newcastle Art Gallery and Fort Scratchley. 

"A phone survey last year found that 56.7 per cent of our community were not aware that we operate Fort Scratchley, 41 per cent didn’t know we operate the art gallery and similarly 36.3 per cent for the Newcastle Museum, while 44.9 per cent were oblivious to the fact we built the Bathers Way coastal pathway."

To have your say on the draft 2018-21 City Marketing and Engagement Strategy, go to our website from Thursday 30 August to Thursday 27 September. 

The new naming convention borrows from other prominent local governments including those in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Gold Coast and Geelong.

Implementation costs will be minimal - after the change was first flagged by City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath nine months ago - with changes to documentation and digital channels to be absorbed within existing budgets.