A unique logo of a bicycle, a tagline of "ride of your life" and iconic imagery or our region will help sell Wollongong to the world ahead of the 2022 UCI Road World Championships.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The branding and logo which will be used to showcase the city ahead of one of the world's largest cycling events arriving in September of next year was launched on Friday.
The official logo unveiled at the launch features a cycle with a 'W' for Wollongong incorporated between a '22' for its wheels. The hashtag #rideofyourlife will be used in promoting the event globally across social media.
"See you in Wollongong in 2022 for the ride of your life," was the message being conveyed for the global cycling event that will bring thousands of people to the city and worldwide television coverage.
Wollongong 2022 chief executive Stu Taggart said his team had worked hard to come up with a brand that would help build momentum and be a source of pride for the city.
"Today is a landmark day in our preparations for the 2022 UCI Road World Championships," said.
"Our brand is really the cornerstone of all our event planning."
Mr Taggart said, with 460 days to go, the brand, course and program would help make the event feel real.
"Being able unveil it and put it to work in earnest marks an exciting step up in our preparations," he said.
"The way that Wollongong and cycling overlap and naturally compliment each other is very compelling and we want to bring all of that to this event - and we want to do that through its brand.
"It's a cluttered event marketplace here and overseas over the next few years and differentiation will be everything.
"We needed to be clear what is said sets this edition of the UCI Road World Championships apart."
Wollongong 2022 chair Dean Dalla Valle said he would like to see the community embrace the logo and tagline.
"It really captures the excitement and grandeur of this event," he said.
"The more Wollongong owns this event and the more excitement it creates the better the event will be.
"I have to say as someone who was born here and actually grew up here I am going to enjoy watching Wollongong watch itself and see its town through the eyes of the world on the global stage through sophisticated international commentary.
"We are going to be the envy of the world. This event will bring great pride and joy to this town."
Consultant Geoff Parmenter has worked on the brand and identity of other major international sporting events such as Olympics and said Wollongong would no longer be one of Australia's best kept secrets after the world sees its beauty and capability.
"You have the good fortune to have some pretty nice content to work with," he said.
"Wollongong is clearly a hidden gem and this is the right event in the right place at the right time.
"This is a real alignment of the stars. Clearly there is natural pride in Wollongong and that increases the city's propensity to host such an enormous event.
"This will give the community a chance to celebrate the city which will be great, especially in these times.
"It is not just about showcasing the geography but the capability of Wollongong. It will not only attract tourism but investment."
UCI Road World Championships
We depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support.