Ten Year 12 and 13 students from across the region came together, not to talk about logos, but to talk about belonging, vibrancy, and what it would take to stay here in Tauranga Moana.

Led by Tourism Bay of Plenty’s Brand Development Manager Haydn Marriner, the workshop opened with a simple question: if we’re designing the city’s identity, who’s missing from the process? The students quickly realised it was them, the people who will live longest with the decisions being made now.

Over 90 minutes, the group talked about memories, movement, and meaning. The Mount, Pilot Bay, and Waihī Beach came up repeatedly as the places they felt most connected to. Not just for how they looked, though colours like blue, green, and butter yellow were mentioned, but because of the experiences they held: time with friends, safety, laughter, freedom. It was clear that identity wasn’t just physical. It was emotional. Tauranga, at its best, feels like home.

But when the conversation shifted to the city centre, the energy dropped. The feedback was consistent. Tauranga’s city centre doesn’t feel like a place for young people, especially in winter. Shops close early, nightlife is limited, and there’s little draw to linger after dark. Malls have become the default gathering spaces, while the heart of the city feels quiet and underused.

Yet the tone was not negative. It was hopeful. Young people see Tauranga’s potential. They spoke about what it could become if the city grew “five sizes bigger,” into a place that balanced its laid-back charm with a stronger pulse: weekly night markets, creative lighting, late-night spaces, and music venues. They referenced Wellington’s culture, Christchurch’s momentum, and Queenstown’s energy. But they made it clear they didn’t want to copy. They wanted Tauranga to find its own rhythm, one that felt real and reflected who lives here now, and who might stay if the city gives them a reason.

They also unpacked some of the social barriers. Many described Tauranga as inclusive on the surface, but still shaped by cliques, stereotypes, and judgement. Suburbs and even schools were seen as having fixed reputations. The Mount was the tanned surfer with zinc on his face. Waihi Beach? An older woman with a flat white and a sunhat. Katikati? A mix of retirees and kids ready to leave. But students wanted something more open and fluid, a city where you didn’t have to fit a box to feel like you belonged.

Jobs were another core theme. While the group was surprised to hear that many of the region’s top companies are in tech, law, and innovation, they didn’t feel confident that the kinds of careers they wanted, in journalism, psychology, marine science, law, and creative industries, would be available locally. The quote that stuck with them was this: “Talent doesn’t follow business. Business follows talent.” They understood that a vibrant city life could be the anchor that brings opportunity closer.

What emerged from the session was not just feedback. It was a roadmap.

Here’s what they asked for:

• A vibrant city centre: One that stays open late, lights up in winter, and feels safe, creative, and social.
• A stronger sense of cultural openness: Where young people feel free to express themselves without judgement.
• Real career pathways: Jobs and industries that excite them and make staying in the region a viable option.
• A shared identity with room for individuality: Suburbs with their own flavour, but united under something bigger.
• A city brand that reflects not just who we are now, but who we’re becoming.

Tauranga’s place brand won’t be built in a boardroom. It will come from real voices like the ones in this room, voices asking for aspiration, inclusion, authenticity, and ownership. Not slogans, not symbols for the sake of design, but something to grow into. Like clothes bought a few sizes too big. Not to drown in, but to become.

Because if the brand doesn’t reflect the people it’s meant to serve, especially the next generation, it won’t land. But if it does, it can spark something powerful. Not just recognition, but pride.

And the young people around that table? They’re ready to help shape it. Not later. Now.

To discuss your perspective on Tauranga’s place brand or explore collaboration opportunities, you can contact Haydn here.

If your business is interested in contributing to the revitalisation of the city centre or would like an update on current and future developments, reach out here.