Choose Chicago Launches a Bold, Inclusive Campaign to Promote Our City to the World

This week, we take a break from our usual economic development topic-specific Business Pulse, powered by LinkedIn, to spotlight a powerful new chapter in how Chicago will show up on the world’s stage.

Today, our sister agency, Choose Chicago, launched its new marketing campaign to position Chicago as a premier global destination for leisure travel, meetings, and events:

“Never Done. Never Outdone.”

This is not a tagline. It’s a mindset, a brand strategy—crafted from more than 300 listening sessions, focus groups, surveys, and community conversations. What emerged is clear:

Chicago is a city in constant motion—evolving, ambitious, and never content to stand still.

“I am proud of the work our colleagues at Choose Chicago have done in developing this new campaign,” said WBC Chair and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. “Work like this can only be born out of meaningful collaboration and engagement, and they’ve taken great care to include the perspectives of a diverse cross-section of community voices in the research that went into the campaign. I’m confident it will ultimately share an authentic depiction of our city and convey the open-minded, welcoming spirit of Chicagoans.”

From our diverse neighborhoods to our bold economic vision, Chicago is constantly evolving. And now, we have a campaign that reflects that energy, passion, and momentum.

Why This Matters:

From a business and economic development perspective, a city’s brand isn’t just a slogan—it’s a strategic asset. It represents market position: a signal to investors, companies, and top talent about what they can access, expect, and achieve by choosing your city.

This is what defines Chicago’s unique value proposition—a city that delivers on what matters most to companies, investors, and talent alike:

• Unparalleled access to customers and clients,
• One of the deepest and most diverse talent pipelinesin the country,
• A robust academic and research ecosystem,
• Centralized transportation and global connectivity; and,
• An “all-in” civic spirit—where business, government, and community come together to rebuild, recover, and rise to every challenge and opportunity, just as we always have.

This week, Chicago is on the global stage as we host IPW 2025, June 14–18—the largest international travel trade show in the U.S.—projected to drive $5.5 billion in future travel bookings. (Learn more about IPW here.)

At the same time, Chicago is also serving up another world-class experience with the return of the James Beard Awards®—a weeklong celebration of culinary excellence that further cements our city’s place as a global capital of culture, creativity, and cuisine. (Read more via Eater Chicago.)

The “Never Done. Never Outdone.” campaign highlights Chicago’s unmatched momentum—not just for leisure travelers, but for business leaders, investors, meeting planners, creatives, and, most importantly, Chicagoans themselves.

It’s a bold invitation to the world—and a call to action for all of us to lead with confidence and pride in the city we love.

The campaign launches today across Chicago with a powerful video (click here) featuring Grammy-winning poet and artist J. Ivy, with placements across city signage, digital channels, and soon—international media markets.

As Lisa Nucci, CMO of Choose Chicago, said at today’s launch:

“Never Done. Never Outdone.’ reflects a mindset that’s deeply original, bold, open-minded, and grounded in community—values that are central to who we are and how we show up.”

We invite you to join us—not just as spectators, but as ambassadors for the greatest city on the planet.

Too often, our Midwestern modesty keeps us quiet. But now is the time to be bold. To speak with pride about Chicago’s unmatched vibrancy, its thriving business ecosystem, its cultural richness, and its momentum, from population growth to the promise of quantum innovation.

Each of us can help shift the narrative. Share this campaign with your networks, tag #NeverDoneChi, and let’s show the world what Chicago is made of.

Let’s keep building. Let’s keep believing. Let’s show the world why we’re never done—and never outdone.

Published weekly on LinkedIn, Business Pulse is World Business Chicago’s most-read and most-engaged communications platform. It’s our way of equipping Chicago’s business community with timely data, insights, and updates that inform decision-making, support strategic planning, and reflect the economic trends shaping our city and the greater Chicagoland region.

Looking Ahead

Next week, we spotlight the Greenwood Project a nonprofit on a mission to build a finance industry without barriers to entry or advancement for Black and Latino professionals. World Business Chicago is proud to support Greenwood’s annual ASCEND event: a dynamic, daylong experience designed to engage, inspire, and empower. Stay tuned. You won’t want to miss it.