CASE STUDY
BRINGING CLIMATE LEADERSHIP TO THE PUBLIC CONVERSATION
Maitripa College | The Dalai Lama Environmental Summit
Strategic Communication | Media Relations
The Challenge
Expanding an environmental conversation beyond traditional audiences
When His Holiness the Dalai Lama came to Portland for an environmental summit hosted by Maitripa College, a Portland-based Tibetan Buddhist college, the event presented an extraordinary opportunity. Its success depended on reaching people concerned about climate change regardless of religious affiliation while introducing the broader community to Maitripa College and its mission.
The Approach
Leading with shared values instead of shared beliefs
Amico developed a media relations strategy that positioned the summit as a community conversation about environmental stewardship rather than a religious gathering. Outreach emphasized universal themes of compassion, sustainability and collective responsibility, inviting audiences from every background to participate in a dialogue about protecting the planet for future generations.
The Results
Transforming a special event into a regional movement
The summit reached capacity attendance, generated more than 150 earned media stories across regional and national outlets, raised $300,000 for nonprofit organizations selected by His Holiness, doubled attendance at Maitripa College the following year and earned the PRSA Silver Anvil Award for Events and Observances.
CASE STUDY
CHANGING BEHAVIOR BEFORE A SHOVEL HITS THE GROUND
NW Natural
Strategic Communication | Public Education
The Challenge
Reducing preventable utility strikes through public education
Each year, hundreds of underground utility lines were damaged because homeowners and contractors failed to contact 811 before digging. Beyond costly repairs, these incidents created significant public safety risks throughout NW Natural's service territory.
The Approach
Making safety simple, memorable and actionable
Amico designed a localized earned media campaign that combined regional excavation data with practical safety information tailored to individual communities. Communications emphasized the ease of calling 811, reinforced Oregon's legal requirements and demonstrated how one simple action could prevent injuries, service interruptions and thousands of dollars in avoidable damage.
The Results
The campaign contributed to a meaningful reduction in utility strikes during its first year while strengthening public awareness of safe excavation practices. Its success led NW Natural to continue partnering with Amico on future Call Before You Dig initiatives.
Helping build a safer culture of excavation
CASE STUDY
GUIDING EMPLOYEES THROUGH TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE
Cadet Manufacturing
Strategic Communication | Corporate Communications
The Challenge
Protecting trust during a once-in-a-generation transition
After nearly 60 years as a privately held family business, Cadet Manufacturing was acquired by global manufacturer Glen Dimplex. While the acquisition strengthened the company's future, it also created understandable uncertainty among employees, customers and vendors who feared the loss of Cadet's identity and culture.
The Approach
Building confidence from the inside out
Amico developed a comprehensive internal and external communication strategy designed to reassure every audience affected by the acquisition. Communications began with employees through multilingual materials, leadership presentations and company meetings before expanding to customers, suppliers and the media. Every message reinforced business continuity, organizational stability and Glen Dimplex's commitment to preserving Cadet's people, products and legacy.
The Results
The transition retained virtually the entire workforce while maintaining customer confidence during a significant ownership change. Employees embraced the company's future, the acquisition proceeded smoothly and Cadet successfully evolved into Glen Dimplex Americas while continuing its long tradition of manufacturing leadership.
Communicating stability before speculation could take hold
CASE STUDY
BUILDING A UNIFIED VOICE FOR TRANSPORTATION EQUITY
Transportation Fairness Alliance
Strategic Communication | Media Relations & Government Relations
The Challenge
Helping an industry compete on equal footing.
The arrival of rideshare services dramatically changed Portland’s transportation market, leaving traditional taxi companies subject to regulations their new competitors did not share. Although individual companies voiced similar concerns, they lacked a coordinated strategy capable of influencing public discussion or policy decisions.
The Approach
Replacing competition with collaboration.
Amico helped establish the Transportation Fairness Alliance, bringing together competing taxi companies around a shared message of regulatory equity. Communications focused on public safety, accessibility and fairness rather than resisting innovation, creating a more constructive framework for public debate.
The Results
Changing the conversation around transportation policy.
Speaking with one voice, the industry earned credibility through public events, city council testimony and regular press briefings, earning extensive media coverage. The campaign helped shape one of the country’s earliest regulatory frameworks balancing rideshare innovation with public accountability.
CASE STUDY
BUILDING SUPPORT FOR OREGON’S LARGEST MIXED-USE COMMUNITY
Reed’s Crossing
Community Engagement | Media Relations
The Challenge
Helping a growing community embrace thoughtful growth
When Reed’s Crossing broke ground in Hillsboro, neighbors worried that one of Oregon’s largest master-planned communities would increase traffic, accelerate growth and permanently change the character of surrounding farmland. While city leaders viewed the development as essential to meeting regional housing demand, public skepticism threatened to overshadow the project’s long-term community benefits.
The Approach
Amico developed and executed a strategic communication campaign that demonstrated how Reed’s Crossing would serve both future residents and existing neighbors. Executive messaging, targeted media outreach, project tours and a neighborhood forum for 200+ stakeholders highlighted publicly accessible parks, diverse housing options, pedestrian-friendly design and investments in community infrastructure. Every communication reinforced the project’s commitment to creating a neighborhood.
Replacing uncertainty with transparency
The Results
Media coverage shifted from controversy toward community opportunity, helping establish Reed’s Crossing as one of the region’s most recognized new developments. The project became the Portland metropolitan area’s leading community for detached home sales, neighboring residents embraced shared public amenities, and Newland recognized the communications program with its Outstanding PR Partner award.
From public skepticism to regional success