An aerial view of Spokane – Image Credit: Ron Reiring (CC by 2.0)
The City of Spokane has launched a $450,000 marketing campaign specifically targeted at Seattle residents and businesses that have grown tired of high traffic and high prices. Dubbed #Hacking Washington, the campaign features slogans such as “Welcome to the 12-minute commute” and “You used to think you could have it all in Washington. We still do.” The campaign also emphasizes affordable housing, recreational activities and lack of competition from “the tech giant next door.” The campaign has reportedly targeted over 550 specific small businesses and organizations in tech, health care and other industries with online advertising. If all goes according to plan, Spokane’s mayor David Condon may even meet with interested Seattleites, in a move straight out of the popular sketch show Portlandia.
The campaign has its skeptics and cynics. Spokane Councilwoman Kate Burke cast the one dissenting vote against the campaign after balking at its price. Seattle Times reporter Mike Rosenberg sardonically commented on Twitter that the pricey campaign is unnecessary since all Spokane officials had to do was “post fliers all over Seattle” showing medium home price in both cities. The campaign has been underway for about seven weeks; whether it will rewrite the narrative of the two cities is still up in the air.
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