Championing the City Motto: An Analysis of Edmonton’s Un/Official Slogan

This article examines urban slogans using a case study of Edmonton’s unofficial motto; “City of Champions.” We will be exploring the decision-making process regarding the city slogan, specifically who creates and adopts a city slogan, and what the relationship is between a city’s slogan and its residents. The analysis focuses on events in 2003, when the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation suggested creating a new slogan for the City, prompting a debate over whether to keep or discard the old slogan: “City of Champions.” We carried out a historical case study, using newspaper articles, blogs, and city documents, to gauge public opinion and the slogan-building process. We argue that the residents are ultimately the key decision-makers regarding the creation and acceptance of a city’s slogan. During the slogan-building process, residents modify, twist, and may adopt a slogan to build collective and multiple identities and images of the city to exhibit to themselves and outsiders.