In June of 2017, #thesavageway was hired to do Clean Graffiti in Portland, OR & Vancouver, WA. We worked with HMH Agency for their client the Trimet, the public transportation system of Portland & Vancouver, to bring awareness to their new fast pass payment system. This blog details our trip!
This summer, Torrie & I had the chance to travel across the country to do some Clean Graffiti for our client, HMH Agency. Let me say that again, we travelled over 2,700 miles to complete eco-friendly advertising in one of the most beautiful places on Earth! I still have a hard time believing this is reality.
Portland, OR had been on my personal bucket list since high school and it has been on our professional bucket list for at least 4 years. The culture, nature, the vegan food (!), the dirt & mold (perfect for Clean Graffiti) – Portland seemed like such an oasis.
When we finally booked the job, not only were we excited to travel, but we could not have been more excited for the initiative that it supported. We were supporting the Trimet, Oregon’s public transportation system, and their Hop Fast Pass program that was launching in Fall 2017. By using Clean Graffiti in Portland, OR, we were able to communicate with an over-stimulated public in a subtle, relatable way. We placed the Clean Graffiti spots around popular bus stops and light rail stops.
We used 4 different stencils that featured ” The Spokesblob” of the Trimet. This character was already being used in other outdoor media buys; billboards, magazine ads, sides of busses, etc. It made sense to bring that same “Spokesblob” to the sidewalk since the masses were already use to them. It was a subtle enough message to be well-accepted by every passerby.
We had a wonderful experience working with HMH Agency on this campaign. They have offices in both Charlotte, NC & Portland, OR so our communication flowed effortlessly. We were honored that they wanted to bring our Clean Graffiti to their clients and truly use the medium as a communication tool.
Portland & Vancouver made the perfect canvas for our work with Clean Graffiti. The climate, as well as the eco-friendly mentality of the West Coast, made Portland a new market for #thesavageway. We saw endless opportunities to use our creative, out-of-the-box advertising medium.
MORE ON OUR TRIP
Yes, we were in town for work, but we definitely made time to explore and enjoy the beauty that is Oregon and Washington. A few of the highlights included:
- Walking the International Test Rose Garden
- Taking in the beauty at the Portland Japanese Garden
- Eating at Vtopia (an all vegan cheese shop in Portland <3)
- Perusing Powell’s Books
- Biking all around the city using Biketown: Portland’s Bike Share System (seriously, ever city needs this)
- Indulging in the Buffalo 666 Vegan pizza from Sizzle Pie
- Renting a car and driving out to Cannon Beach (home of the Goonies) to do some beach yoga (check out this video).
- Hanging in Seattle, WA for the weekend
- Being spontaneous and going dancing with new friends
- Jumping in the Seattle Pride parade (video here)
- Taking in the sites (Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, Puget Sound)
- Having the BEST curry ever at In The Bowl Vegetarian Noodle Bistro
It is an amazing feeling to know that something we created, Clean Graffiti, is not only fueling our business on the East Coast, but we now have a presence on the other side of the nation. We are actively seeking clients in the Portland area and are open and excited for the next work trip we take to the West Coast.