I still remember the day they unveiled that sign in 2014 at the last Commonwealth Games.

I was standing in the city centre, looking up at this massive, bold, unapologetically pink statement covering the side of a building.

PEOPLE MAKE GLASGOW. Three words that somehow captured everything about who we are.

And I felt proud. Properly proud.

That sign wasn't just a slogan. It was Glasgow introducing itself to the world. It was us saying: we're warm, we're bold, we don't do things by half, and you're welcome here.

For those few weeks during the Games, that building became one of the most photographed spots in the city. Visitors posed in front of it. It appeared in broadcasts beamed around the world. It became ours — a symbol of a moment when Glasgow showed what it could be.

Eleven years later, the Games are coming back home in the summer of 2026.

But that sign? It's tired. The colour has drained out of it. The vinyl is peeling. What was once a proud declaration to the world now looks forgotten. And honestly? It breaks my heart a little.

I run a Brand & Creative agency here in Glasgow. I've spent the last decade helping brands tell their stories — and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that symbols matter. The right image, in the right place, at the right moment can shape how the world sees you. That building is one of the first things visitors see when they arrive in our city centre. Right now, it's telling the wrong story.

Because this isn't just about aesthetics. It's not about a building needing a lick of paint.

It's about what we say to the world when they arrive this summer.

Do we show them something faded and worn? Or do we show them that Glasgow is still bold, still creative, still full of life?

This is a chance to renew our commitment to who we are. To prove that the spirit of 2014 wasn't a one-off — it's who we've always been. Resilient. Welcoming. Unafraid to make a statement.

And here's what excites me most: it doesn't have to be the same sign.

Imagine what we could do with that canvas now. A new creative expression that captures Glasgow in 2025. Something that makes people stop in the street and look up. Something that gets shared millions of times. Something that makes every Glaswegian feel that same pride I felt eleven years ago.

Maybe it's a bold new design. Maybe it's an installation. Maybe it's something interactive, or illuminated, or unlike anything we've seen before. I don't know exactly what it looks like yet — but I know Glasgow has the creative talent to make it extraordinary.

All we need is the will (and resources) to make it happen.

That's why I started this petition. Not to complain or moan. Not to point fingers. But to show that there is genuine, heartfelt appetite in this city to do something special.

If enough of us sign, we can show the council, the building owners, and the amazing team at the Games that this matters. That Glasgow wants this. And we can will it into existence together.

And if you're a brand or organisation reading this — someone with the resources to help bring this to life — please get in touch. This is a chance to be part of something the whole world will see. Something that will be photographed and shared across the globe. Something people will remember.

Let's not let the world arrive to a faded welcome.

Let's show them who Glasgow really is.

Pssst down here: If you're a brand, organisation, or someone who can help make this happen — I'd love to hear from you.

Follow along as we bring it alive 👉
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Andrew Dobbie Founder, MadeBrave LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/in/andrewdobbie