Alameda Marina Project
Challenge
This 44 acre, 760 unit development sits along the Alameda Estuary overlooking downtown Oakland. Eastbay politics being what it is, there was adamant, vocal and organized opposition to this project due to increased traffic and density. The developer needed to establish positive facts, build support and demoralize the opposition. Every development of this size prepares a master-plan that is often widely ignored until it’s glanced at just before the planning commission or city council votes on the project. We decided to make that fact-filled master-plan our weapon in organizing support for the project.
Solution
Over course of six months we taped Alameda residents detailing positives from the master-plan and expressing their support for the project. We boosted those posts to Alameda residents. Those posts we’re seen more than 100,000 times. At the start of the campaign our posts received considerable comments from supporters and opponents alike. We consistently linked-back to the masterplan to answer questions and concerns. The facts in that document generated new support and negated misconceptions. The cost of boosting this campaign to Alamedans was an affordable $50 a boost. We targeted Alameda voters with an interest in politics and/or community issues.
Results
By the time the planning board heard the issue. we had generated almost 350 new supporters for the project, referred 100 commenters back to the masterplan and motivated 33 to express support for the project in-person. The planning board approved the EIR 6 - 0 and the master-plan 6 - 0. Next, we touted these unanimous votes extensively online and demoralized the opposition to the point many quit commenting. With momentum on our side the city council then also voted unanimously, twice, to move the project. This was the first time in the developer’s memory anyone has used a master-plan as extensively, transparently and widely. All on social media.
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