Fred Frederikse: All you need (and then some T-shirts)

POINT OF DIFFERENCE: This is how the new Whanganui branding might look at Cooks Gardens

BEING the contrarian that I am, and being somewhat sceptical about the benefits of past marketing campaigns (Sport City, Well Worth the Journey etc.), I have my own views on selling our town to the outside world.

One idea I have to market Whanganui is a sign as you enter town which simply reads: "Bugger off". On the other side, which you see as you leave town, it says: "Good riddance".

I bounced my idea off various "invitation-only" attendees at the "Whanganui: All you need (and then some)" rebranding launch at the Savage Club hall last Thursday.

"Why do something like that? The town has had enough negativity," Jenny Duncan said, alluding to Michael Laws.

The theory behind marketing exercises is to establish a point of difference from all the other towns marketing their own brands.

"One ingredient for promoting economic growth is having a strong brand," outgoing mayor Annette Main said - and went on to list our assets.

Two good things that Annette Main has contributed in her time as mayor are the Saturday River Traders' Market and establishing closer relations between the district council and the local iwi.

"If we are going to be different ... this is different," said mayor Annette referring to the Savage Club hall before introducing the guest speaker, celebrity economist Shamubeel Eaqub.

Globalisation, urbanisation, an ageing population, IT, economic and geopolitical uncertainty and "climate change" all provided threats and opportunities, Shamubeel explained.

Instead of merely reacting, "zombie towns" such as Whanganui needed to be proactive. There was no formula - lots of things should be tried and many would fail, he said.

Then a team of women, including the mayor, stripped to reveal new white T-shirts featuring an orange W and river logo.

"I'll go for that," called out Frog Falconer, who had just made a noisy entrance carrying a carton of beer.

After a little tussle about the pronunciation of the word "Whanganui", John Maihi pointed out that Shamubeel had made a very good job of pronouncing the name of our town properly.

Over the years I have been involved with the Savage Club building, I have discovered that the main hall has a beautiful acoustic for unamplified voices. One of the highlights of Thursday evening was listening to John Maihi and his group sing the closing waiata - it was one of those moments.

Afterwards I asked Annette what she thought of "Bugger off" as a marketing slogan. Staying on track, she said: "No, we have allowed people to muddy our brand, we are re-energising our brand."

When I dropped my marketing idea on mayor-to-be Hamish McDouall, his minder skilfully mimed saying nothing, which is what Hamish did. Finally, I asked Helen Craig for her observations on my anti-marketing slogan.

"It certainly will get attention," she concluded, giving me a straight answer.

With the "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" breathing down his neck, Hamish could do worse than to make Helen deputy mayor.

-When Fred Frederikse is not building, he is a self-directed student of geography and a traveller. In his spare time he is co-chairman of the Whanganui Musicians' Club.