Adelaide is distinct as a place of both immense natural beauty and infinite opportunity – an accessible city centre, uniquely surrounded by Park Lands, with an entrepreneurial commercial landscape and a thriving cultural scene that honours the past and embraces the future.

This is why Adelaide continuously ranks amongst the world’s most liveable cities and why people who’ve already chosen to conduct business, study or live in Adelaide are proud of the city.

At a time when global competition for talent, investment and tourism is ramping up between capital cities, it’s important to embrace that pride and build on it to elevate Adelaide’s position on the world stage.

The City of Adelaide laun­­­ched the city’s first place brand with that very intent.

Not just a logo, slogan or short-term marketing campaign, Adelaide’s place brand is a cohesive narrative that authentically articulates the city’s differentiating truth. It’s a narrative designed to inspire collaboration between those who seek to see the city flourish.

The city’s brand essence is captured in Adelaide. Designed for Life. – which is a summation of the city’s proud past, a reflection of the local pride and a bold statement of intent for the future. However, it’s the story of the city itself, which wraps around these four words, that provides the unifying narrative.

Through a process of research and collaboration, the City of Adelaide uncovered the story of a considered city with a rich history and a pioneering spirit.

Central to Adelaide’s story is South Australia’s first Surveyor-General, Colonel William Light. He was a visionary who thoughtfully and purposefully designed the capital, setting the city up ‘for life’.

Light’s dream, steeped in genius of place and plan, was to create a city of the future. A city that combined the spirit of place and the urban built form to grow in a sustainable way, so people continue to live in balance with nature and without cost to their wellbeing. He succeeded.

Adelaide is the only city in the world surrounded by Park Lands. It is a place that can be easily experienced and explored thanks to Light’s grid-like plan of wide streets, terraces and public squares. His master plan is now internationally recognised as one of the most important influences on the Garden City Planning movement.

The first place in Australia to be planned and developed by free settlers, Adelaide was founded with early ideals of freedom, diversity and inclusion. Championing this social reform continues today.

Fundamental to that is honouring Adelaide’s Kaurna heritage, acknowledging that the city itself is located in the geographic heart of Kaurna country, and advocating for an inclusive future through a place brand.

It was never intended for the place brand to be accessible only to the City of Adelaide. The thinking was always to seek the support and collaboration of influencers and changemakers across the government and private sectors as we share the city and have a common goal to see Adelaide succeed. Working together to share the city’s unique story and enhance what Adelaide has to offer, we can garner greater traction in the global market and create a stronger Adelaide for all.

If you’d like to discover more about Adelaide’s city place brand and start a conversation with the City of Adelaide about ways to incorporate Adelaide. Designed for Life. into your communication strategy visit cityofadelaide.com.au/DesignedforLife or email [email protected]