Portland purchased a full-page advertisement in The New York Times in an attempt to repair its image and attract tourists following a tumultuous year of violent demonstrations in the wake of the death of George Floyd in Minnesota, and the most recent fallout after all 50 members of the police riot squad resigned.
Travel Portland purchased the ad which is set to run through August to encourage overnight local hotel and short-term rental stays from leisure travelers from the cities of Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles, KOIN reported. It is part of a campaign called “This is Portland.” Travel Portland also released a video featuring more than 20 Portland chefs, store owners, athletes, performers and artists that is narrated with the same text written in the full-page New York Times spread.
“This is Portland,” the full-page ad consisting of just 23 lines of text begins. “You’ve heard a lot about us lately. It’s been awhile since you heard from us.”
The ad, written in a format resembling a poem, continues, “Some of what you heard about Portland is true. Some is not. What matters most is that we’re true to ourselves.”
“There’s a river that cuts through the middle of our town. It divides the east and west. But it’s bridged – over and over again. Twelve times, to be specific. And that’s kind of a great metaphor for this city,” the ad says. “We’re a place of dualities that are never polarities. Two sides to the same coin that keeps landing right on its edge. Anything can happen. We like it this way.”
“This is the kind of place where new ideas are welcome – whether they’re creative, cutting edge or curious at first glance. You can speak up here. You can be yourself here,” it continues. “We have some of the loudest voices on the West Coast. And yes, passion pushes the volume all the way up. We’ve always been like this. We wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“We have faith in the future. We’re building it every day the only way we know how, by being Portland.” – READ MORE
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