Helsinki: Time to Whisper Louder

What if you did everything right—but nobody noticed?

Welcome to Helsinki. A city where public transport is as punctual as a Swiss watch, forests begin where sidewalks end, and silence isn't awkward—it's respected. According to recent identity research, Helsinki consistently ranks very high in quality of life, safety, sustainability, and design. And yet, on the global stage, it remains oddly under the radar.

A collaborative identity study by Place Generation for the Tourism unit of Helsinki Business in spring 2025 revealed the core issue: the problem isn't what Helsinki is or how people perceive it but —it's how it tells its story.

The Gap Between Reputation and Reality

Despite glowing reviews from visitors and top rankings in liveability, Helsinki struggles with brand visibility. Mercer puts it at 34th because Helsinki's brand voice is too quiet, too fragmented, or simply too modest. The city lives its values—trust, space, sustainability, and stunning design—but doesn't project them in a way that resonates emotionally or memorably with outsiders.
The full report consists of 300 slides of insights and was presented to the entire tourism sector on May 7th in the newly reopened and magnificent Finlandia Hall.

While we cannot reproduce the full content here, the recommendations are well worth considering.

Key Recommendations

The report outlined seven strategic priorities, including:

  • Celebrate culture as emotional infrastructure, not just information and entertainment.

  • Position design as a core story, not a side note.

  • Make sustainability tangible, not abstract. Create educational promotion to manage expectations.

  • Shift from modesty to confident storytelling—not arrogance, just honesty but slightly louder.

  • Create symbolic gestures that express Helsinki's values memorably.

  • Segment audiences by passion, not passport. Target meaningful niches from foodies, forest lovers, cold-water swimmers, history buffs to design fans.

  • Align tourism with regeneration—make visits good for locals, too. If one city can do it, certainly Helsinki.

So, the research asked: how do you amplify quiet excellence?

What The Workshops Uncovered

In April 2025, a group of stakeholders, locals, and experts gathered to explore this identity question. The workshops brought up at least three themes: Culture, Design, and Sustainability. Here's what emerged:

1. Culture is Everyday Life
 In Helsinki, culture isn't locked in theatres or museums—it lives in the streets, the saunas, the libraries, and even in silence. The problem? It's often reduced to event listings. The suggestion: move from listing to storytelling. Highlight the cultural soundscape—yes, including Finnish metal and classic music—and tell tales through figures like Tove Jansson and the Moomin. Make culture immersive: think hybrid tours, neighbourhood trails, and creative spaces that feel lived-in rather than curated.

2. Design as Lived Experience
 Helsinki's design is not decoration—it's identity. From recycled fashion shops to tableware, from tram lines to typography, from every household to every hotel room, design is everywhere. But it's underused in communications. The idea? Celebrate it more boldly. One proposal: turn tramline 4 into a rolling tribute to Alvar Aalto and Finnish functionalism. Let design become the red thread of the Helsinki narrative.

3. Sustainability With a Soul
 Forget greenwashing—Helsinki is the real deal. But it needs to move from numbers to feelings. Residents describe values like "we need things that last" and "it's a sin to waste." That emotional sustainability—rooted in tradition and care, not guilt—is a goldmine for storytelling. Showcase communal rituals, like shared saunas and forest walks, that model a lifestyle of resilience and respect.

Next Steps

It's truly inspiring to see how different departments across the city — from development to marketing and branding — are stepping up and leading vibrant sessions on what identity means to them. Whether it's about governance, themes, storytelling frameworks, or communication, the energy is tangible.

With its strong network of MAKERS, Business Helsinki is perfectly positioned to inspire partners and show how even a subtle shift in course can lead to powerful, transformative results.

Final Thought: Believe the Hype (and Own It)

Helsinki doesn't need a new identity—it needs to believe in the one it already lives. If the city can translate its quiet dignity into a clear, cohesive story, it could set a new standard for 21st-century urban life.

The world doesn't need another loud city. But it certainly does need Helsinki—whispering just a little louder.

by FRANK CUYPERS

This is a VivaCITYproject a collaboration between CityDNA and Simpleview/Granicus


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