Seasonal downtown cheer
Downtown for the Holidays
Celebrating Portland’s winter pop-ups and downtown activities — from proposal to print, signage, and merch all over the city core.
Overview
After the success of Portland Staycation, I was invited to submit a proposal for Portland’s yearly Downtown for the Holidays campaign. Mine won, so I built out the brand direction for the whole program. It ended up in print, in online ads, on the campaign website, and on signage across downtown.
I picked a quirky, sharp script to play against the chiseled headline type, then added slightly imperfect hand-drawn icons as a counterweight to both. Snowflakes and multi-colored string lights fill out the kit. Deep teals, dark reds, and pastel tints keep it festive without tipping into clip art.
The Brand
The primary lockup anchors the campaign, with colorway variants for gold fields, pastel tints, teal signage, and deep red holiday moments.
Out in Portland
The identity showed up on banners, window displays, and activations across downtown, where it had to hold up against a rainy December afternoon.
Custom Holiday Icons
With so many activities on the calendar, a custom icon set was essential. Each icon ships in red, blue, and multicolor sets so art directors can match any placement.
A four-page rollout ran in Portland Monthly weeks ahead of the event, so people had time to plan around the festivities.
Portland Monthly
4-page rollout
Merch & More
Branded sweatshirts for merch tables and gift shops. Cozy, wearable, and very Portland.
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