Councils join forces for campaign TV ad to sell region

Alex de Vos
A new television commercial will attempt to lure skilled workers and families to the Geelong region from May.
G21, an umbrella body for the region’s councils, is producing the advertisement as the region’s first television promotion since Geelong’s Smart Move campaign in the 1990s.
G21’s Lisa Bennetto said the $50,000 commercial would highlight the region’s assets to encourage new business investments while raising the city’s profile.
The advertisements would attempt to reverse “negative perceptions” of Geelong that had led to a decline in professional and skilled workers relocating to the region.
“We want people to consider Geelong as a first-class option to live and work and counter any misconceptions,” Ms Bennetto said.
“It’s about creating a contemporary image of Geelong and challenging perceptions that Geelong is an old-fashioned manufacturing town.”
Ms Bennetto said G21 hoped the commercials would also help turn the tide of the region’s ageing population trend with a focus on Geelong’s lifestyle attributes to attract “younger” residents.
“We’ve got to make sure we’ve got a balance of people in Geelong – a good mix of young professionals and retirees,” Ms Bennetto said.
The advertisement would target Melbourne audiences through free-to-air metropolitan television stations.
“We really want people from Melbourne to take another look at the Geelong region,” she said.
G21 would seek backing from public and private organisations to fund the air time.
“The important thing is that companies are going to be able to use it on their websites and at trade shows – it will be a consistent image of the Geelong region,” Ms Bennetto said.
“In today’s challenging economic climate, the Geelong region must find new ways to recruit and retain talent to support local businesses and to attract outside investment to the region.”