michael murray

Back in 2001, seeking a new slogan with which to attract business and tourists, the city of Ottawa came up with Ottawa: Technically Beautiful. I think that as the new century dawned, the Ottawa brain trust hoped to sell itself as a global High Tech capital, and that from far and wide, the young, beautiful and entrepreneurial would flood the city. Well, the High Tech industry crashed, and Ottawa, as always, plodded along like the government town it’s always been.

And now, in 2010, the city is undergoing a “location branding exercise” and is looking to find a new “tag line” with which to define itself. The following list, winnowed down from hundred of entries, are the finalists.

1. Ottawa: Where beauty and regulations converge.

2. Ottawa: The city that talks it out.

3. Ottawa: Where friends live.

4. Ottawa: Between Montreal and Toronto.

5. Ottawa: Just waiting for life!

6. Ottawa: Multifunctional.

7. Ottawa: A pleasing compromise.

8. Ottawa: Good governance makes for good times!

9. Ottawa: Where different cultures come together to be similar.

10. Ottawa: Other cities are for shopping!

11. Ottawa: Proud of her green space.

12. Ottawa: We play fair!

13: Ottawa: Designed by bureaucrats!

14. Ottawa: First in caring.

15. Ottawa: There is public skating on the canal.

16: Ottawa: You’re no better than us.

17. Ottawa: Where people still read newspapers.

18. Ottawa: Toujours gai.

19. Ottawa: It’s easy to get away for the weekend!

20. Ottawa: Tuliperiffic!

21. Ottawa: Retirement in working.

22. Ottawa: The biggest small town you’ll ever visit!

23: Ottawa: Two hours from Montreal.

24. Ottawa: Officially fun!

25. Ottawa: To infinity and beyond!