October 17 marked the kickoff of the Brand Atlanta Campaign as Mayor Shirley Franklin and the campaign committee unveiled the campaign logo at City Hall. The campaign is a collaborative effort between the public and private sectors to create a new brand for the City of Atlanta, and it will be rolled out over the coming month. The website www.ATLopen.com also went live on the seventeenth for Atlanta residents to become part of Team ATL, the community mobilization program. Team members will receive campaign updates and information about ways to get involved.

The brand will be used to attract visitors, businesses and new residents to Atlanta and will help drive business growth in the City of Atlanta, especially in the hospitality and tourism industry. The campaign will also serve as an economic stimulator for the city. By boosting the tourism and hospitality industries, Brand Atlanta is expected to support the creation of 60,000 jobs for Atlanta residents by 2009.

The campaign will be based on three timeless truths said to represent Atlanta: Boundless Opportunity, Inspired Optimism and Universal Openness. The national campaign will begin on November 10. It will highlight new world-class developments, like the Georgia Aquarium, the new World of Coca-Cola, the expansion of the High Museum of Art and Atlantic Station. The CNN Center, The King Center, The Carter Center, the Atlanta History Center, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (HJAIA), Centennial Park and historic Auburn Avenue also add to Atlanta's unique makeup.

The next big event related to the campaign will be the debut of the anthem at the Georgia Dome during the Falcons vs. Jets football game on October 24. The anthem was written and produced by Grammy award-winning producer Dallas Austin, who has produced more than 50 hit singles, produced the film Drumline and has worked with artists such as Aretha Franklin, Gwen Stefani, Michael Jackson, TLC and George Clinton. Austin has been honored with a Heroes Award from the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS) and a Beacon Award from the Independent Media Artists of Georgia, Etc. (IMAGE). The anthem will premiere during the Monday Night Football pre-game show on WSB-TV (Channel 2). It will also be performed during a half-time show that will include an All-Star line-up of Atlanta-born or –based musicians as well as the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra.



Join in the Brand Atlanta festivities:

· October 24: Atlanta anthem debut during the Falcons-Jets Monday Night Football game at the Georgia Dome.
· November 10: Open House Celebration, Atlanta will unveil its new advertising campaign, see the new logo and slogan unveiled at Centennial Olympic Park and celebrate the festivities and hear Atlanta 's new anthem. Event begins at 5pm.
· November 18-20: pARTicipate! An Arts and Culture Celebration. More than 100 organizations will join for pARTicipate, a three-day showcase of Atlanta's arts and culture scene. Organized by the Brand Atlanta Campaign, the Metro Atlanta Arts & Culture Coalition, Atlanta PlanIt.com and ACVB Cultural Tourism, the celebration is an opportunity to sample Atlanta's arts, culture and heritage institutions. Visit www.atlantaplanit.com.


For more information on the Brand Atlanta campaign, please visit www.brandatlanta.com. To get involved with the Campaign, visit www.ATLopen.com.