Auckland is being labelled as "the place desired by many" by Auckland Council.

Mayor Phil Goff had no involvement with the development of Auckland Council's new half a million dollar city slogan.

The city's proposed new global brand -The Place Desired by Many - is the result of two year's involving 115 council staff, but has been slammed by councillors as a waste of public money.

A spokeswoman from the mayors office, Nirupa George, said Goff had received a high level briefing about the slogan but had not had any direct involvement.

She said the slogan was not his priority and that the exercise was started well before he was elected.

"It's not about what the name is, it is what how it will be tangibly delivered. He'd want to see a business case on any use of ratepayers money."

Auckland councillor Dick Quax called the slogan "bland" and an irresponsible use of public money.

"I could give you a laundry list of how the money could be better spent," he said.

"An organisation like the council, which is reliant on public money - the fact alone that people in my ward and in other areas struggle to pay their rates - you have to ask yourself how they would feel about half a million being spent on this logo."

Councillor Christine Fletcher said she was "greatly offended" the council spent so much on something already in existence.

The slogan was developed by Ateed, the council's economic growth and tourism arm.

Ateed chief executive Brett O'Riley denied it was a new brand or slogan for Auckland.

"In marketing terms, the place desired by many is the underlying creative purpose, theme or proposition of the Auckland Story," O'Riley said.

"This is not about changing a slogan, but creating a unified brand that represents the whole of Auckland."

O'Riley said it was developed through "comprehensive research and consultation" including interviews with Aucklanders, a digital campaign and focus groups.

He said Ateed has been instructed by Auckland Council to lead the development of a global brand proposition which involved regularly reported back on progress to the governing body.

O'Riley said most of the $500,000 project cost went towards this research.

A final decision on the use of the phrase won't be made until further consultation has taken place, he said.