Host city marketing for 2030
I led Destination Vancouver's marketing through the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Now I help the 2030 host cities get ready for theirs.
What we did, and what I learned
Every 2030 host city is now where Vancouver was in 2023. There's a lot to decide and nobody who has done it before to call. I've done it, and I can tell you what worked and what I'd do differently.
Science World became the match ball
We wrapped the 40 metre dome in 131 custom panels and turned it into the official match ball. It became the defining image of the tournament. The rights holders didn't pay for it, which is the part every host city should hear early.
Hammock Goals
Match-used nets from all seven BC Place matches became hammocks in the city's best-loved parks and gardens. We gifted nets to visiting football federations as an invitation to come back.
A toolkit for local business
A visual identity built with the Host Committee so members could join in without breaking FIFA's brand rules. Building it was the easy part. Getting members to actually use it was harder.
One calendar for the region
We ran the World Cup events calendar for all of Metro Vancouver, so there was one place everyone checked.
Three things to get right before 2030
Your signature moment, and who pays for it
Every host city wants its own big image. Most assume the sponsors will help fund it. They won't, so the budget conversation needs to happen early.
An objective you can defend
You'll be handed forecasts full of visitor numbers and then judged on the wrong month. I help you decide what you're actually buying, commit to it, and prepare your members for the trade-offs.
Local business that takes part
A toolkit only works if people use it. I help you build it with your host committee and then get it adopted, which takes years.