Tri Met

Connecting Portland: Multicultural Messaging and Marketing for Public Transit

TriMet is the lifeblood of the Portland metro area, connecting communities through its comprehensive bus, light rail, and commuter rail services. With a commitment to equity, sustainability, and innovation, TriMet’s extensive network provides vital access to work, education, healthcare, and recreation. Watson Creative partnered with TriMet to deliver culturally responsive messaging and marketing services that reflect Portland’s diverse population while fostering stronger community connections.

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A Legacy Rooted in Public Transit

As a Portland-based agency, Watson Creative shares a deep appreciation for the role TriMet plays in the community. For decades, Portlanders like Jenna Watson’s father, an English professor at Portland State University, have relied on TriMet not just for transportation but for connection—meeting neighbors, enjoying moments of reflection, and building bonds across the city. Inspired by this personal legacy, Watson Creative approached this collaboration with a commitment to honoring TriMet’s impact on the region.

A Multicultural Approach to Messaging

Understanding the diverse communities that TriMet serves is at the heart of Watson’s strategy. Our work focuses on transcreation, adapting messaging not just linguistically but culturally, to resonate with Portland’s many demographics, including its Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, and Somali-speaking communities. By working with native speakers and cultural experts, we ensure that messaging aligns with cultural values, priorities, and nuances, fostering stronger engagement and inclusion.

Watson’s work with TriMet includes:

RESEARCH

  • Transcreation and Messaging: Adapting campaigns to ensure cultural relevance across multiple languages.
  • Community Engagement Campaigns: Building trust with local communities through events, outreach, and partnerships.
  • Digital and Traditional Marketing: Designing multi-channel campaigns, including social media, print materials, and website updates, tailored to Portland’s diverse population.
  • Public Information Officer Training: Providing media training for spokespeople to navigate challenging public relations moments with confidence and clarity.

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Results

Results That Move the Needle

Watson’s work has helped position TriMet as a national leader in public transportation marketing. By aligning campaigns with Vision 2030, TriMet has enhanced its community image, increased ridership among diverse groups, and strengthened its brand as a reliable and inclusive service. Public feedback has highlighted the effectiveness of culturally attuned messaging, creating a deeper sense of belonging among riders.

Benefits

  • Reliability and Connectivity: Highlighting TriMet’s role in linking communities.
  • Sustainability: Showcasing eco-friendly initiatives and the commitment to reducing Portland’s carbon footprint.
  • Equity and Inclusion: Creating targeted messaging for underrepresented communities to build trust and increase ridership.

Not Everything. Just What Works.

Strategy

Build from insight. Strategy isn’t guesswork—it’s groundwork. We listen, research, and distill what matters to guide smarter decisions and set a solid creative direction.

Content

Make it meaningful. From naming to narratives, we create content that speaks with purpose—rooted in truth, tuned to your audience, and built to connect.

Digital

Design for behavior. We craft digital experiences that are intuitive, scalable, and aligned with how real people move, click, swipe, and search.

Experiential

Bring brands to life. Physical spaces, moments, and memories matter. We design experiences that feel human—and stay with you long after the lights go out.

Marketing

Drive connection. Our marketing approach blends data and instinct—getting the right message to the right people, in ways that actually move them.

Consulting

Partner on progress. We work alongside your team to solve real problems, shift thinking, and build internal alignment—without the agency ego.