Case Study
Polka Dot Downtown
Public Relations
Social Media
From struggling icon to leader of revitalization
Since its inception in 1984, Pioneer Courthouse Square has been a gathering place for Portland locals and visitors alike. After thirty-seven years of delivering on its promise to enrich and unite Portland through thousands of community programmed events, The Square found itself in a city center struggling to survive with the COVID-19 crisis. The organization and its operators had to find new and creative ways to fulfill their mission. Through Polka Dot Downtown, The Square began to activate locations throughout the downtown area, bringing together local businesses, artists, performers, residents, and visitors.
Project Goal
Help drive consumer awareness of Pioneer Courthouse Square and Polka Dot Downtown locations through social and earned media.
Public Relations
From national outlets such as The Wall Street Journal to local newspapers such as Willamette Week, The Square was credited with supporting the arts and reminding people of the vibrancy of the city’s downtown core.
3
Podcast Features
174M
Online Readership
543K
Estimated Coverage Views
43
Pieces of coverage
Social Media
By creating a consistent social media presence and voice for The Square, we documented and drove interest in Dot performances – amplifying positive awareness of the downtown, promoting local artists, and growing The Square’s digital presence.
65
Posts
Results from Polka Dot Downtown campaign on the @thesquarepdx Instagram account: March 22 through October 31, 2021
24%
Increase in followers
625+
Stories
122K+
Accounts reached
