Case Studies
New Economic Model: Regional Business Leadership
Working in partnership with the City of Portland Office of Sustainable Development, we created a brand new concept for a collaborative marketing and economic development framework for Oregon’s sustainable industries. PDX Lounge is a unified collaborative effort to elevate sustainability. The initiative demonstrates how one city, dozens of businesses and non-profit groups joined together to create a “Living Laboratory,” which exports the distinctive Portland mindset and experience to other cities seeking the promise of total sustainable practice.
At its inception, ‘PDX Lounge’ was a groundbreaking approach that today has become standard protocol: collaboration and relationship building to achieve common business goals, while advancing (and measuring) regional environmental and economic benefits.
- We orchestrated the entire program, from concept to partner development & fund raising to strategy and implementation of the marketing and communications strategies and tactics.
- The PDX Lounge initiative is a cohesive brand vision demonstrating a common understanding of sustainable products, practices and places. Participants span diverse industry segments, from green builders to sustainable product manufacturers and food producers.
- PDX Lounge catalyzed a group effort, which forged nationwide alliances and cultivated breakthrough thought processes and practices. It benefited partners and the audiences they engaged by offering unique networking, resource sharing and promotional opportunities. The success of PDX Lounge is due to multiple levels of shared expertise and a strong, inclusive feedback loop that continues to inform and grow the initiative.
In one year, PDX Lounge achieved the following success measurement indicators:
- Doubled partnership – from 32 to 54 participating organizations
- Quadrupled physical space installation – from 5,000 to 20,000 square feet
- Increased budget allocation – from approximately $100K (cash + in-kind) to $250K (cash + in-kind)
- Grew attendee engagement opportunities – from one evening event to seven networking, business development and educational sessions
- Grew outreach targets by over 1,866% (from 2,800 to 15,000)
- More than tripled attendance at PDX Lounge – nearly 1,500 attendees
- Quadrupled news coverage (incorporating sustainable leadership messaging)
- Cross pollinated PDX Lounge partners’ services and products within the network
- Tradeshow attraction with PDX Lounge booth
- Web site traffic year-on-year growth of 55%
- Targeted E-blast distribution increase of 45%
- Earned Media: 40 articles, 27 blogs
- Grew outreach: 31 countries, 49 states
Case Study : Government
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"What you risk reveals what you value."
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"MarketShift is filling a critical need in helping the first generation of sustainability oriented businesses find their way in a dynamic marketplace."
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"Stephanie and Ruby bring years of experience and pragmatic thinking to help grow sustainable industries.”"
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"The real art of conducting consists in transitions."
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"It's no longer a zero-sum game -- things that are good for the environment are also good for business."
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"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower."
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"Great discoveries and improvements invariably involve the cooperation of many minds."
