Todd Babiak

CEO – Brand Tasmania

 

Session title

Globally admired, locally driven. The story of Brand Tasmania and how it is pushing the boundaries of what economic development can do.

Abstract

For a long time, Tasmania was literally left off the map of Australia. When it did show up in the national media, it was often as a joke. When things began to change for Tasmania, and Tasmanians, it was difficult to answer why.

Five years ago, Brand Tasmania was created to unearth the Tasmanian story and to use it for everything: tourism, trade, investment, talent and student attraction and, most importantly, community action. The work began by conducting hundreds of one-on-one interviews with Tasmanians to create a “unifying cultural expression and strategy.” Today, the activation of that strategy is helping drive a new wave of pride and prosperity across the island state. It involves initiatives that range from “Little Tasmanian”, a program designed to inspire a new generation of the state’s newborns, through to campaigns targeted at attracting a new generation of health care workers to work and live in Tasmania.

In this session, Todd will take us through the award-winning Brand Tasmania story to date. What is their model? What mistakes have they made? Where are they going next? How do they measure success and justify ongoing funding by the Government?

Bio

Todd has worked in small places and big places around the world, building brand stories and turning them into economic, social, and cultural development strategies. Of all the places he worked, he was most moved by the Tasmanian brand story. He and his team at Brand Tasmania are in the listening and building business. They want to inspire and encourage Tasmanians and those who want to be Tasmanian to quietly pursue the extraordinary.

Brand Tasmania

 

Created in 2018, Brand Tasmania is the first statutory place-branding authority to be established in Australia. Its purpose is to protect and enhance the value of the Tasmanian brand across all sectors, and promote Tasmania’s unique attributes locally and globally. Over the course of the past six years, Brand Tasmania have listened to thousands of Tasmanians about what it means to live where they do. Amongst other achievements, that listening has led to projects such as;

  • Little Tasmanian” which encourages aspiration, confidence, and pride in children and their trusted adults about being Tasmanian from the day they arrive.
  • Women in Tasmania created to celebrate Tasmanian women and show women who lead, women in their communities, and women supporting other women.
  • Tasmanian Health Careers a campaign aimed at recruiting one of the world’s most in demand workers – the healthcare worker – to live and work in Tasmania

Widely recognised as a global leader in the place branding spact, Brand Tasmania was awarded City Nation Place’s prestigious Place Brand of the Year in 2021, with “Little Tasmanian” also recognised in 2023’s City Nation Place Awards.