Interstate Bridge Replacement Program

SITUATION  

The Interstate Bridge is a critical piece of infrastructure on I-5, connects the two vibrant cities of Portland, OR, and Vancouver, WA, and is a vital trade route for regional, national, and international economies. With one span now 107 years old, the bridge is at risk of collapse in the event of an earthquake and no longer satisfies the needs of modern commerce and travel. Replacing the aging Interstate Bridge across the Columbia River with a modern, seismically resilient, multimodal structure is a high priority. The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) are leading the Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) program to address this critical piece of infrastructure and make investments along a five-mile corridor of I-5. In the past year, the program focused on reaching two core audiences–equity priority communities, primarily youth, on Instagram and TikTok and professionals in the engineering, construction, transportation and communication fields on LinkedIn. 

RESEARCH AND TARGET AUDIENCE 

The IBR program leveraged census data from American Community Survey (ACS) to identify approximately 31,000 community members in the 5-mile program area qualifying as equity priority communities, with 25% of this group being young people ages 16-25. According to Pew Research TikTok and Instagram are a few of  themost popular social media platform among teens and young adults, with 47% of the platform’s active users aged between 10 and 29. 70% of Instagram users are between the ages of 13 and 34. The program is also building a business-focused audience interested in infrastructure on LinkedIn where four out of five members are business decision-makers. The program uses LinkedIn for thought-leadership, program updates and highlights about community engagement and how the program is focusing equity.

PLANNING & EXECUTION 

The program created short videos for TikTok and Instagram Reels to highlight problems with the current Interstate Bridge, the benefits of a replacement bridge and utilize trends and sounds to create fun, informal content with the potential to reach a large audience in the region unfamiliar with the program. The program also posted videos and updates on equity priorities and accomplishments on LinkedIn.

Goal: Build broad regional support for the Interstate Bridge Replacement program.

Objectives: 1) Generate over 25,000 total video views for TikTok and Reels. 2) Generate over 15,000 engagements on LinkedIn, TikTok and Reels. 3) Pass the 1,000 follower mark on LinkedIn. 4) Generate a total of 500 engagements on posts related to equity.

Strategies: 1) Three posts per month each on TikTok and Reels and up to 30 social media posts a week across all platforms. 2) Adopt current social media trends. 
3) Communicate challenges and issues with the existing bridge and benefits of future bridge. 4) Weekly posts highlighting programs' equity efforts.

Tactics: Use social media to tell the IBR story by 1) Highlighting the maintenance needs of the existing 107-year-old bridge 2) Highlighting the difficulty crossing the bridge for non-car users 3) Demonstrating program’s commitment to equity.

EVALUATION 

Program results far exceeded measurable objectives as demonstrated below from the period of August 2022 to June 2023:                                                             

  • Generate over 25,000 total combined views on TikTok and Reels (results: 63,784 combined views)

  • Generate over 15,000 engagements on LinkedIn, TikTok and Reels (results: 18,368 engagements)

  • Pass the 1,000 follower mark on LInkedIn (results: nearly doubled followers to 1,108)

  • Generate at total of 500 engagements on posts related to equity (results: 993 engagements)

LESSONS LEARNED

Posts involving Program Administrator Greg Johnson, video and release of visualizations performed the best on LinkedIn.Organic impressions spiked in May 2023 with 24,259, led by a post with images of initial bridge visualizations. LinkedIn was responsive to equity focused content and responsible for 26,000 impressions and 657 reactions. A video showcasing vehicles stuck in bridge-lift traffic was the most viewed TikTok on the channel during this period with 5,239 plays.

BUDGET

Due to the multi-disciplinary nature communications work among the firms of PointNorth, Amico PR and WSP, it is difficult to identify the budget and costs related directly to social media. However, according to the program’s accountability tracker, the program expended $2,511,612 on communications services from June 2022-July 2023.

Mental Health and Addiction Association of Oregon

SITUATION

In November 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Oregonians approved the controversial Measure 110 decriminalizing small amounts of illegal drugs to promote addiction treatment. Meanwhile, Fentanyl gained popularity on the streets as a cheaper but deadlier alternative to heroin. The Mental Health and Addiction Association of Oregon is one of the state’s largest providers of peer-centered outreach addressing illicit drug use; based in Portland, it fosters recovery through peer mentorship, training and collaboration. In late 2022, MHAAO began operating the Behavioral Health Resource Center for Multnomah County, offering laundry, showers and service referrals to drug-affected and houseless populations. Shortly after the facility’s December opening, the business community began protesting the BHRC (and by association, MHAAO), which soon resulted in negative media coverage for both entities. Facing a crisis of negative public opinion, and with plans to open its new Peer Recovery Campus and headquarters in late 2024, MHAAO hired Amico in mid-July 2023 for a one-year initiative. 

RESEARCH

Secondary research from the Oregon Health Authority, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Alliance on Mental Illness, and World Health Organization, along with media analysis and a discovery session with MHAAO revealed: 1) Oregon’s mental health and addiction rates rank among the nation’s highest; 2) Organizations like MHAAO have proven that a peer-to-peer approach increases recovery outcomes; 3) MHAAO’s peer mentoring and recovery network align with statewide goals; 4) MHAAO experiences a 20% year-over-year increase in program participation among individuals facing addiction; 5) Addiction stigma deters people from seeking help; 6) Substance use in public spaces may be an extension of broader addiction issues; and 6) DEI-focused peer outreach boosts engagement among underserved groups. 

PLANNING

Goals: Amico identified the strategic communication goal of turning the tide of public opinion for MHAAO from negative to positive. This supported MHAAO goals to 1) Retain the contract with Multnomah County to operate BHRC; 2) Build community partnerships supporting BHRC services; 3) Grow the workforce of MHAAO peer counselors from 170 to 200 by July 2024; and 4) Relocate the MHAAO headquarters to its Recovery Campus in Southeast Portland in late 2024.

Target Audiences: 1) Policymakers and funders focused on health and social services; 2) Community partners in healthcare, public safety and social work sectors; 3) Community members and businesses located close to BHRC and the new headquarters, 4) Individuals and families affected by mental health, addiction and houseless challenges, and 5) MHAAO peers and staff.

Objectives: 1) Stop the negative media narrative regarding MHAAO, particularly in Willamette Week (which was relentless), and The Oregonian; and 2) Secure an average of one positive placement per month from November 2023 through June 2024.

Strategies: 1) Position MHAAO staff as thought leaders on peer recovery support, particularly Executive Director Janie Gullickson who personally overcame addiction through peer support; 2) Leverage personal stories of recovery to humanize MHAAO’s work; 3) Emphasize MHAAO’s role as a trusted community partner by elevating third-party supporters (e.g., Portland Police Bureau); and 4) Position MHAAO as a problem solver whenever issues related to BHRC percolated in the community or media. 

IMPLEMENTATION

July 2023 – Research, team interviews, scope framework; August 2023 – Key message discovery session with MHAAO; Sept. 2023 – Key messaging finalized; Oct. 2023 – Earned media strategy approved, confirmed deskside briefings in November and December; Nov. 2023 – Media training and background deskside briefing with Willamette Week; Dec. 2023 to June 2024 – 1) Deskside briefing and follow up interviews with The Oregonian; 2) Co-produced this video with Multnomah County and leveraged it for TV pitches; and 3) Ongoing proactive media pitches and reactive story coordination highlighting peer outreach and MHAAO programs, a Portugal visit in November by Oregon legislators and recovery leaders, MHAAO’s position on Measure 110, and collaboration with the Portland Police Bike Patrol and Multnomah County. 

MEASUREMENT & EVALUATION

MHAAO went from being a target of negative coverage to a sought-after and trusted media source; Amico’s role went from proactive media outreach to vetting and managing media queries.

  • Negative media narratives regarding MHAAO ceased. By June 2024, 19 positive placements, including two front-page stories in The Oregonian and four international stories, resulted in three to five million views/impressions and ad value equivalency of $2-4 million

  • MHAAO’s Peerocolypse conference in May 2024 attracted record attendance

  • MHAAO grew 48% year-over-year from 2019 to 2024 (in 2024, MHAAO served 7,500 individuals, including 1,711 people of color, 6,678 low-income, 2,745 houseless and 223 Native Americans)

  • MHAAO increased its peer workforce to 200 by July 2024, and having solidified service partnerships with Multnomah County and the Portland Police Bureau, it continues to operate BHRC

  • MHAAO successfully relocated its headquarters to its Peer Recovery Campus in Southeast Portland in late 2024 without negative backlash

BUDGET

Amico received $60,000 in fees and provided $40,000 in pro bono services.