Sonoma County, California

Sonoma County is looking for a firm to develop a branding and marketing campaign to promote the recovery and resilience of the 110-mile Russian River, which contributes $2B in tourism dollars to the local economy and supplies drinking water to 600K North Bay residents.

The California waterway faces a raft of environmental issues including trash and dumping of household goods and microplastics, human waste, agricultural and landscaping run-off, invasive plants and algae blooms.

Sonoma wants a PR partner to shift the river’s “dynamic from thoughtless overuse to conscious stewardship for the benefit of all, promoting the Russian River as an environmental gem rich in natural beauty, deserving and needing of protection,” according to the RFP.

The selected firm will create a messaging platform to engage visitors, residents and businesses in stewardship and promotion of the responsible enjoyment of the River. 

It will develop a visual brand to represent the River, forge an online presence that ties into the eco-campaign and conduct media relations.

The budget for the six-month effort is $125K.

Proposals are due March 17 at Sonoma’s supplier portal.

Download RFP (PDF).