Case Study: LoveOly – Revitalizing Downtown Olympia
- Client: Olympia Downtown Alliance, City of Olympia
- Project: LoveOly Brand Creation & Campaign
- Agency: Mosaic Marketing Studio
Challenge:
In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, downtown Olympia’s restaurants and shops faced significant challenges as customer traffic remained low. With businesses struggling to recover, the Olympia Downtown Alliance and the City of Olympia needed a campaign to reignite enthusiasm and bring patrons back to the heart of downtown.
Approach:
Initially, Mosaic Marketing Studio was asked to create a “restaurant rescue week” campaign. However, this concept placed the burden on business owners and cast them as victims, which did not align with our vision for revitalizing the area. Instead, Mosaic proposed a fresh, empowering concept: LoveOly.
The LoveOly Shop & Dine Week was designed to encourage customers to actively support their favorite downtown businesses. For every $10 spent at a participating business, customers earned a heart on their passport. After collecting five hearts, they could redeem the passport for exclusive LoveOly-branded merchandise. This approach not only increased foot traffic but also allowed customers to feel directly involved in the downtown recovery.
Execution:
Mosaic Marketing Studio led the creation of the LoveOly brand from the ground up, developing campaign materials that included logos, signage, promotional merchandise, social media content, and event collateral. We launched the first LoveOly Shop & Dine Week, which was an overwhelming success, driving customer engagement and significantly boosting sales for downtown businesses.
Due to the success of the event, which has been held twice a year since its inception, the Olympia Downtown Alliance decided to fully adopt the LoveOly brand as its consumer-facing identity.
Expansion:
In late 2023, Mosaic expanded the LoveOly brand even further, supporting a media campaign, assisting with website development, transitioning social media platforms, and overhauling the newsletter system. We also launched a LoveOly video series, telling the stories of downtown businesses and highlighting the community’s resilience.
Results:
The LoveOly campaign has been a transformative success, directly contributing to downtown Olympia’s economic recovery post-pandemic. By celebrating community support and offering tangible incentives to shop and dine locally, the campaign has sparked a lasting connection between businesses and customers. The brand continues to grow, fostering a thriving, engaged downtown Olympia.
Key Metrics:
- Increased foot traffic: Substantial boosts in sales during LoveOly Shop & Dine weeks.
- Community engagement: High participation in the passport program, social media growth (over 300% growth on Instagram alone), and positive sentiment around the brand.
- Sustainable impact: Ongoing success with biannual LoveOly events and brand recognition.
Conclusion:
The LoveOly campaign is a testament to how creative branding and community-driven marketing can fuel local economic recovery. Mosaic Marketing Studio’s holistic approach to branding and event management turned a challenging situation into a movement of love and support for downtown Olympia.
