Helsinki (Finland) – World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 will be awarded in October with a Place Marketing Award 2014 in a competition for regional marketing practices. Helsinki’s Design Capital year has won the competition’s series New Strategies for Events and Congresses, and Territorial Marketing.
This award, conferred now for the second time, recognizes successful international cases of place marketing. The jury paid special attention to the Design Capital year’s extensive international media coverage and the project’s innovative operation model, which united private and public actors.
“World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 was executed with exceptional success. It presented Helsinki and the Finnish capital region as an exciting design location. The year earned more than 8,000 international media hits and attracted 2.5 million visitors to the Design Capital year’s events, which are excellent results,” says David Aboulkheir, coordinator of the jury.
The jury cites the strong strategy of Helsinki’s Design Capital year. This strategy made design a part of city development on a long term, in addition to emphasizing design events. According to the jury, one example of the strategic focus on long-term city development is Design Driven City, a project that continues the work of the Design Capital year promoting the use of design in city development. The jury also cites the role of design in strengthening local identities.
Other award winners in the Place Marketing Award 2014 competition include Amsterdam Marketing for integrated business plan, a top talent attraction program of Start-Up Chile, The city of Rockford and Etsy partnership for the collaborative economy and ‘maker movement’ (Illinois, US), The Connect Ireland peer marketing and digital program, and the Futuroscope leisure park in Poitiers, France.
The Place Marketing Award 2014 for Helsinki’s Design Capital year will be accepted by Pekka Timonen, Director of the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 project, at the Place Marketing Forum in Aix-en-Provence, France, on 16 October.
For more information please contact:
Laura Aalto
Communications Director, Design Driven City
e: laura.aalto@toimivakaupunki.fi
+358 40 507 9660
David Aboulkheir
Director of the Place Marketing Forum
Deputy Director of the Chaire Attractivité & Nouveau Marketing Territorial
e: david.aboulkheir@sciencespo-aix.fr
+33 (0)6 25863917
About World Design Capital® (WDC)
While there are many awards that recognise individual accomplishments in design, the World Design Capital designation is unique as it aims to focus on the broader essence of design’s impact on urban spaces, economies and citizens. The designation provides a distinctive opportunity for cities to feature their accomplishments in attracting and promoting innovative design, as well as highlight their successes in urban revitalisation strategies.
The World Design Capital is an initiative established and managed by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design. Past cities to hold the title include Torino (Italy) in 2008, Seoul (South Korea) in 2010 and Helsinki (Finland) in 2012. Currently, Cape Town (South Africa) is holding the programme of events in 2014, whilst preparations for Taipei (Taiwan, Chinese Taipei) are underway for 2016.
