Editorial: The best look for our city

Picture it, you are driving home and closing in on the city boundary, it's dark and your headlights pass over a billboard, illuminating a smiling figure and the words, "Welcome to Wanganui - where Michael Laws lives".
Similarly, other places you visit you see the same image of the former Wanganui mayor peering out from the back of buses and in flyers extolling the virtues of this fine city.
I can see it now, bus tours of places Michael ate, facilities he opened, places he has lived, all with appropriate photo opportunities with life-size cut-outs of our most recognisable feature or person.
In all seriousness, the fact that Mr Laws was nominated by 36 per cent of respondents when asked to name the one thing they think of when they think of Wanganui represents opportunity and threat.
That he topped such attractions as the river, the Waimarie, our heritage and arts suggests we need to work on our city's image. Of course, as Mr Laws himself points out, none of those things have a national radio show, from which to garner substantial news coverage.
Interesting, too, to note that gangs featured at number three, behind Mr Laws and the river. Perhaps there is a connection.
The gang patch bylaw was one of Mr Laws' pet projects and resulted in numerous news bulletins and stories.
What the perceptions survey fails to identify though is any negative connotation the respondents might have towards their selection. Just as many would claim Mr Laws' profile has aided Wanganui, others would say propelling gang issues into the national limelight through the battle to pass the bylaw and its subsequent invalidation have reflected poorly on the area.
When we come to consider how best to market Wanganui as a destination to visit and location to settle, it would be natural to investigate how we might use Mr Laws and his profile, as he himself has often proposed be done.
We must be careful if we embark on this path so that the city not be tainted by any adverse publicity that might eventuate from any public or private scandal. Yes, Mr Laws can help us raise the profile of Wanganui, but he is by no means a wonder-cure.
Any publicity or marketing must go beyond personality and focus on those areas people who live here hold dear.
Education, job opportunities, family living, affordability and low crime rates hold the greatest potential to attract people, not the fact that someone who was once a little bit famous lives or used to live here.
Feedback: editor@wanganuichronicle.co.nz