Branding guru pitches Parramatta as capital of NSW

DITCH the links with Sydney and create a clearer image of the central city — advertising guru Russel Howcroft puts his suggestions forward for the future of the Parramatta brand.

Russel Howcroft has suggested Parramatta be known as the capital of NSW. Photo: Hollie Adams

PARRAMATTA: the capital of NSW — that’s how advertising guru Russel Howcroft has pitched the city in a bid to cement its brand for the future.

Speaking at a conference at Sydney Olympic Park, the Gruen panellist said the campaign to spruik Parramatta as Sydney’s second city simply would not cut it.

“If you think about calling it ‘second city’ that is a disaster ... it’s about the fact that Parramatta IS a city. I would claim it’s the capital of NSW,” he told the crowd of business people and bureaucrats.

Forget GPOP, second city or central city — Parramatta could be known as the capital of NSW.

“If you think about doing that over a course of three, seven or 15 years — if you continually say Parramatta is the capital of NSW, imagine what that does to people’s minds around the way they see the city.

“Western Sydney isn’t a brand and it never will be.”

The media personality went so far as to say the west should distance itself from the harbour city altogether.

“I think it’s a mistake to even talk about Sydney,” he said.

“If you want to grow this region I would see Parramatta as the capital of NSW. If you’re always thinking about premium life being over there and the idea of this as a second city — it just doesn’t make sense.”

David Borger unveiled a report with 10 bold ideas to grow the region’s visitor economy.

A new brand was one of 10 bold ideas included in a report from the Sydney Business Chamber, Western Sydney and Deloitte on how to grow the region’s visitor economy.

Other ideas included a Hollywood Bowl-type outdoor music venue, an affordable family holiday park and two new major festivals or events.

“Western Sydney enjoys more than 9.6 million visitors a year and the region ranks fourth in terms of total annual visitors behind Eastern Sydney, the North Coast and the South Coast,” western Sydney director of the Sydney Business Chamber David Borger said.

Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl is a haven for outdoor events and concerts.

“This has made us realise the visitor economy is much bigger than we thought.

“We are on track to become the largest visitor economy outside of Eastern Sydney within the next decade.”

Figures in the report show visitor numbers have increased by 49 per cent in the past 10 years with projections for further growth in the years to come.

Deloitte western Sydney associate director Ben Artup said western Sydney had seen incredible growth in visitation over the past decade, more than any other region in NSW.

“We now need the support and strategies to leverage this growth and take advantage of a range of once in a lifetime opportunities that will grow the visitor economy such as the new airport, MAAS, and with many other venues transformations that are currently under way planning or delivery in western Sydney,” Mr Artup said.

A festival based around the Parramatta River was suggested in the report.

10 BIG IDEAS TO GROW WESTERN SYDNEY’S VISITOR ECONOMY:

1. Western Sydney’s own Destination Management Plan including a canvassing of attractions

2. Recognition as a NSW Destination Network

3. Funding of new branding and promotional strategies for Western Sydney

4. Western Sydney Holiday Park

5. Western Sydney heritage and cultural attractions visitor map

6. An outdoor music venue for western Sydney

7. Western Sydney visitor economy Uber Strategy

8. Start planning now to leverage the western Sydney Airport

9. Two new major events (Western Sydney River Festival and Western Sydney major cultural festival)

10. Identify and develop a range of visitor precincts in western Sydney