The creator of 'Absolutely Positively Wellington' is defending a revamp of the brand.
Tourism Wellington intends to use the 21-year-old slogan in a million-dollar campaign to strengthen the capital's economy by attracting new businesses from around New Zealand and overseas.
Frank Sligo, a Massey University professor of communications, is critical of the move and says a new brand should be created that reflects the city in 2013 - not 20 years ago.
Professor Sligo said Wellington still attracts a lot of young people and any new marketing campaign should reflect why they choose to go there.
He believes a relaunch of the old brand is unlikely to work and will be mocked.
However, the former chief executive of ad agency Saatchi and Saatchi said the brand helped reform Wellington in the 1990s and it can do it again.
Kim Wicksteed said 'Absolutely Positively Wellington' is about giving Wellingtonians permission to believe in the city - and that is important to selling the capital overseas.
Mr Wicksteed said for the new campaign to work, it needs to reflect the creative life in Wellington.
