case study
Transit is Why
Every rider has a reason.
Client
Washington State Transit Association
Services
Campaign Strategy & Execution
Brand Identity & Messaging
Audience Segmentation & Personas
Video Production & Storytelling
Social Media & Digital Campaign Execution
Paid Media Strategy & Buying
Website & Partner Toolkit Development
Partner Engagement & Advisory Facilitation
Overview
In partnership with the Washington State Transit Association (WSTA), PointNorth led Transit Is Why, a statewide public education campaign designed to shift perceptions of public transit and reinforce its role as a vital, accessible, community-driven resource. PointNorth served as strategic and creative lead, developing the campaign's brand identity, messaging framework, and multi-channel content strategy to address common misconceptions and center real stories about independence, access, affordability, and quality of life.
To expand reach, PointNorth equipped WSTA's transit agency partners with customizable tools and assets to localize the campaign statewide. Through video storytelling, social and digital content, advertising, and partner toolkits, Transit Is Why established a consistent, relatable message across Washington State.
1.3M+
Facebook reach
46k+
Website Visitors
31
Transit Partners Engaged
188k+
Video Views
The Challenge
Closing the Perception Gap
Public transit plays a vital role in communities across Washington State, but it’s not always fully understood or valued. WSTA set out to shift perceptions and help people see transit as a reliable, everyday resource, while giving local agencies the tools to better connect with the people they serve.
Our Approach
Research and Audience Segmentation
We partnered with trusted community leaders and organizations to connect with residents through familiar faces and existing relationships.
Brand & Campaign Development
We partnered with WSTA to create the Transit Is Why brand, including its name and visual identity. We designed the campaign as an educational effort to challenge misconceptions, segmenting audiences by need and geography, and building messaging around the motivations and concerns that shape transportation choices.
Multi-Channel Implementation
We put video storytelling at the center of the campaign, sharing authentic narratives across YouTube, social media, and the campaign website. We engaged directly with WSTA's transit partners through a comprehensive toolkit, and complemented this with paid media across Meta and Google to drive traffic and reinforce our messaging.
Results
Reaching millions statewide and activating 30+ transit agencies
Transit Is Why helped build a more connected, consistent voice for public transit across Washington—driving strong engagement while making it easy for agencies to participate and share the message locally.
Unified campaign brand and narrative, giving transit a clear, human-centered voice statewide
Reached 1.3M+ people on Facebook and 219K+ on Instagram, with 188K+ video views and a median watch time of 62%
Drove 46K+ visits to the campaign website and 28K+ social clicks
17 transit partners actively integrated campaign materials into their own communications, amplifying reach statewide
Established Transit Is Why as a sustainable brand and platform continuing to advocate for transit beyond the initial campaign period
Recognized with the 2025 SMPS Award of Excellence (Brand Awareness Campaign), 2025 SMPS Seattle Best Marketing Campaign, and 2025 PRSA Oregon Merit Award (Marketing Campaign)
Services
Strategy
Campaign Strategy & Execution
Brand Identity & Messaging
Survey Development
Audience Segmentation & Personas
Community Engagement
Partner Engagement & Advisory Facilitation
Creative
Video Production & Storytelling
Social Media & Digital Campaign Execution
Paid Media Strategy & Buying
Website & Partner Toolkit Development
It has been a pleasure working with PointNorth. Their ability to quickly stand up a statewide public education campaign centered around mobility has been impressive. Their detailed approach along with client management has allowed our group to make quick decisions with flexibility is certainly a highlight.
Justin Leighton, Washington State Transit Association
Launching a Multi-Partner Awareness Campaign?
Whether you're shifting public perception, coordinating messaging across dozens of partner organizations, or launching a brand built to last beyond a single campaign cycle, we help agencies tell stories that change how people see the services they rely on.