Hudson Square is one of NYC’s newest Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), surrounded by SoHo, Tribeca, and the West Village. It’s home to some of the most creative companies in the world—leaders in media, design, and technology. Yet, despite this, Hudson Square wasn’t widely recognized as a creative hub or a destination in its own right.
For companies bringing employees back to the office, that’s not just an identity issue—it’s a business problem. Especially in Manhattan, a neighborhood isn’t just an address—it’s part of the employee experience. And in today’s work culture, a thriving, well-branded district isn’t just about real estate—it’s a competitive advantage for attracting top talent, retaining employees, and driving economic growth.
Hudson Square had the assets:
- Global creative companies
- Walkable streets
- Public spaces
But it lacked the recognition. If it was going to stand out, it needed more than a map pin. It needed a digital presence that made people see it for what it truly is: a creative campus.
The Challenge
- Establish Hudson Square’s identity and make it impossible to overlook.
- Position it as a bona fide creative campus, distinct from its more famous neighbors.
- Make civic development engaging.
- Turn digital engagement into real-world foot traffic and business growth.
The Approach
Neighborhood branding usually plays it safe. We didn’t. We built Hudson Square as a brand—bold, creative, and somewhat unpredictable—because that’s what gets people to care.
1. Hudson Square Gets a Look—A Big, Bold Identity
Hudson Square is home to some of the most creative companies in the world. Its brand needed to reflect that energy.
- We took inspiration from Hudson Square’s public art scene, particularly the mural outside City-As-School, and built a high-impact digital aesthetic—berry magenta, sunny yellow, and sharp, attention-grabbing graphics.
- Every post, video, and digital touchpoint became instantly recognizable—so even if you didn’t know where Hudson Square was, you knew when you were looking at it.
2. “Show Me How to Get to Hudson Square” – A Puppet Adventure
Many people didn’t realize they were in Hudson Square. We made sure they wouldn’t forget.
Enter Hudsy & Frenchie, two puppets who took a Sesame Street-style journey through Lower Manhattan trying to figure out where Hudson Square was.
- Along the way, they met locals, uncovered BID projects, and saw how Hudson Square had transformed.
- The video wasn’t just fun—it was a digital onboarding tool, giving viewers a better sense of Hudson Square than any urban planning report could.
- Optimized for Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube, it was built for engagement, not background noise.
3. “Breaking News” with Randi Leigh – Making Civic Updates Entertaining
Civic updates are usually forgettable. We made them unmissable.
To highlight Hudson Square’s most interesting locations, we gave Randi Leigh a mic and let her turn everyday neighborhood moments into breaking news.
- Her quick-hit, absurd news reports took a fresh, hilarious approach to civic storytelling:
- “Breaking: At 10 o’clock, it will be darker.”
- “Breaking: The sculpture at Freeman Plaza is very hot to the touch.”
- “Breaking: Man throws coffee cup into trash can.”
- The goal? Make people laugh while making them care.
- Each clip was built for social media—short, fast-paced, and impossible to scroll past.
Challenges We Overcame
- No One Knew They Were in Hudson Square → Solution: Digital Domination
We flooded social channels with bold branding, humor, and storytelling—so even if people didn’t know where they were, they knew Hudson Square was worth paying attention to.
- Return to Office Fatigue → Solution: Positioning Hudson Square as an Experience
With companies struggling to make in-office work more appealing, we positioned Hudson Square as part of the perk package.
- Post-Pandemic Business Recovery → Solution: Using Digital to Drive Foot Traffic
By putting businesses at the center of highly shareable content, we gave people a reason to show up—and they did.
- Civic Messaging Can Be Boring → Solution: Make City Development EntertainingInstead of treating Hudson Square like an urban planning report, we turned its transformation into content people actually wanted to watch and share.
Stronger Digital Presence
- +30% social media follower growth
- 2× post engagement
- 90% increase in website traffic
- A surge in hashtag usage, proving employees and locals were actively identifying with Hudson Square
Tangible Business Growth
- New business openings more than doubled, increasing by 100% year-over-year
Increased Foot Traffic
- Pedestrian activity in Hudson Square saw a 12% year-over-year increase
Higher Business Engagement
- Attendance at Hudson Square’s Annual Meeting grew by 53%, despite being the day after Election Night
Why It Worked
We didn’t just market Hudson Square—we turned it into a destination people talk about, engage with, and visit.
By blending bold branding, humor, and creative storytelling, we didn’t just put Hudson Square on the map—we made it a place people actively want to be.
Hudson Square isn’t just another neighborhood. It’s a creative campus, a cultural hub, and a must-experience part of NYC. And now? Everyone knows it.
