Design on Edge Wins Silver Spike Award for Transformative “Positively Downtown” Campaign
We are thrilled to share that our team at Design on Edge has been honored with a Silver Spike Award from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Sierra Nevada Chapter for overall campaign development. This prestigious recognition highlights outstanding public relations, marketing, and communications efforts across Northern Nevada. We are especially humbled to accept this award on behalf of the Downtown Reno Partnership for our collaborative “Positively Downtown” campaign.
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Tackling Challenges with Strategic Vision
Downtown Reno faced complex challenges, including urban blight, declining foot traffic, and outdated perceptions that clouded its true potential as a vibrant community hub. After years of grassroots efforts, the area still lacked a unifying, positive story to showcase the great strides made in cleanliness, safety, business diversity, and cultural energy.
Our extensive research revealed the urgent need to amplify these successes and create a campaign that would engage residents, visitors, business owners, and local leaders alike. The Downtown Reno Partnership (DRP), representing an impressive 110 city blocks and 1,500 property owners, launched “Positively Downtown” as a strategic initiative to reshape perceptions, boost awareness, and foster renewed local pride and economic activity.
Clear Goals and Smart Objectives
Guided by SMART objectives, the campaign aimed to:
- Increase pedestrian and visitor traffic by 15% within the first year.
- Engage at least 40 community members through storytelling and social media in six months.
- Remove over 70,000 pounds of trash to enhance downtown cleanliness.
- Secure media coverage across 10+ local and regional outlets
- Place campaign materials in 50+ branded locations within six months
Strategic Approaches to Revitalization
To bring this to life, we integrated community-driven storytelling with impactful visual branding and tangible environmental improvements. Our multi-channel marketing approach spanned digital platforms, physical activations, and partnerships with the City of Reno and local media to ensure broad reach and authentic engagement.
The campaign celebrated downtown’s arts, business, and cultural investments, utilizing ambassadors and infrastructure upgrades like branded trashcans, flower baskets, and wayfinding signage to visibly enhance public spaces and shift public sentiment.
Execution and Community Activation
The campaign launched at the National Automobile Museum, gathering city officials, businesses, media, and community advocates for a powerful kickoff. Key elements included:
- Installation of over 200 uniquely wrapped trash cans featuring neighborhood-specific graphics and QR codes linking to stories of community advocates and entrepreneurs
- Enhanced street signage, flower baskets, and banners to beautify and inform
- A digital toolkit empowering locals to share photos, videos, and stories about their downtown experiences
- Distribution of swag like mugs, stickers, and shirts to build visibility
- Commercial-quality videos and bilingual advertisements are deployed on TV, social media, and at the airport.
- Live presentations and grassroots public activations, such as Rollin Reno, to energize the community
Remarkable Results and Impact
“Positively Downtown” surpassed expectations and delivered meaningful change:
- Over 400,000 pounds of trash were collected in 12 months, making downtown the cleanest it’s been in years.
- Hundreds of locals and tourists reported increased visits and positive experiences in downtown.
- Website engagement soared, with active users up 19.4% and new users up 20.1%, for a total of 416,000 visits annually.
- Local media coverage expanded significantly with a 53.7% increase in earned media reach, totaling 782 million impressions and $7.23 million in media value.
- The City of Reno embraced the campaign as a cornerstone of redevelopment, investing in OTT streaming ads to further boost tourism.
- Community participation exceeded goals with over 500 stories submitted via the digital toolkit.
Celebrating a Brighter Future for Downtown Reno
Winning the Silver Spike Award for campaign development reaffirms the power of integrated storytelling, community collaboration, and smart marketing to drive real-world impact. Our work alongside the Downtown Reno Partnership demonstrates how intentional, grassroots campaigns can rewrite narratives, fuel economic growth, and foster community pride.
We look forward to continuing this journey of revitalization and invite everyone to experience the new spirit of Downtown Reno — truly “Positively Downtown.”
Thank you to PRSA Sierra Nevada Chapter for this honor, and to all who contributed to making this campaign a success!
