No Unnecessary Fuss in Lappeenranta – New Brand Frames What It Means to Be from Lappeenranta

Lappeenranta’s new brand puts into words what it means to be from Lappeenranta. At its core is the city’s distinctive character, brought to life by the people of Lappeenranta themselves – the residents, businesses, communities and individuals whose actions, attitude and everyday encounters shape how the city is experienced and understood.

- Lappeenranta is a place of contrasts where opposites do not cancel each other out – they coexist, says Sami Soljansaari, Communications and Marketing Manager.

- Things are done here in a relaxed yet determined way. There’s a twinkle in the eye, but both feet stay firmly on the ground. Ruggedness meets refinement. Laid-back meets bold. In Lappeenranta, there’s no unnecessary fuss.

According to Siiri Viinikainen, Marketing Specialist, Lappeenranta will no longer be defined by a single slogan.  

- The brand is designed to endure and to be used across the whole city. It captures the spirit of Lappeenranta as a whole and even plays with it. For example, the city’s familiar abbreviation, LPR, serves as a word framework that allows countless ways of describing both Lappeenranta and the people who call it home. As an unofficial nickname, LPR isn’t going anywhere.

- Alongside the words, the visual identity is equally faithful to what Lappeenranta is, how it works and where it is heading.

Building on What Already Exists

According to Soljansaari, a brand needs to resonate on an emotional level and feel authentic.

- I hope our new brand sparks discussion and emotion. Its credibility comes from local people. The more strongly it resonates here in Lappeenranta, the more compelling it becomes beyond the city’s borders.

The aim of the brand renewal was to capture something that already exists.

- We didn’t want to create a shiny new identity floating somewhere above everyday life. Instead, we wanted to move closer to the local grill kiosk and the kind of conversations that happen in grocery store queues. The new brand reflects the way Lappeenranta already operates today.

To understand what people associate with Lappeenranta, the city listened to residents and local stakeholders, gathering their experiences and perspectives about the place they call home. Around 900 residents, professionals, city employees and people with roots in Lappeenranta took part in the process.

- Instead of looking at trophy cabinets or listing facts from an encyclopaedia, we spoke with the main characters of Lappeenranta’s story. The image of Lappeenranta and what it means to be from here is built on what we learned from those conversations.

A Marathon Without a Finish Line

Work on the brand renewal began in spring 2025. The project cost €37,000, with Kaski Creative Agency serving as the city’s partner.  

The new brand is already visible and will become increasingly present throughout the city, in communications and across the city’s activities both locally and beyond its borders.

Not everything changes overnight. According to Soljansaari, brand-building is a marathon without a finish line—one where openness about what is still unfinished is part of the journey.

- Bringing the spirit of Lappeenranta to life and strengthening perceptions of the city never really ends. It evolves, grows stronger and adapts over time through the city’s actions and, above all, through the people who live here or carry Lappeenranta with them wherever they go.

Open Celebration on 5 August 2026

The City of Lappeenranta would like to thank everyone who contributed to the brand project and all those who help shape the image of the city every day. To celebrate the launch of the new brand, the city is hosting a free, open-to-all picnic-style event at the Fortress on 5.8.2026 starting at 3 pm.

- It’s a family-friendly event where there’s no unnecessary fuss. There will be popcorn, cotton candy, a toy swap station, face painting and music. A children’s DJ will be playing family favourites, and the celebrations will culminate with a performance by local band D.E.D. Europaeus Alive, known for combining punk and folk music.

- Visitors will also have the opportunity to explore the new city brand and continue the evening at the Rannalla Saimaan community sing-along event, which is part of the Lappeenranta Festivals  programme, says Viinikainen.

Further Information

Sami Soljansaari, Communications and Marketing Manager
+358 40 760 3082, sami.soljansaari@lappeenranta.fi

Siiri Viinikainen, Marketing Specialist
+358 40 635 3326, siiri.viinikainen@lappeenranta.fi

You can learn more about Lappeenranta’s new brand in the brand book, available mainly in Finnish.