Places with purpose do better: how we see the opportunity at Downtown West.

Places with purpose do better: how we see the opportunity at Downtown West.


Downtown West is a significant step in the transformation of San Jose and its downtown. The opportunity is an exciting one — to bring together Google, businesses and local organizations, and inspire generations of people locally, nationally and internationally.

Why should anyone care?


In order to really resonate with your audiences internally and externally — whether with a film or as the project progresses — you need to clearly articulate why you’re creating this place and how it will benefit people.

Before a logo or storyboard, we like to work together to really answer: “why should anyone care?”

To establish what we call Place Purpose.

What is Place Purpose?


Place Purpose is the essential reason a place exists based on a human-centred needs.

It’s what we’re doing for the customer, the community, the world. And it’s a promise that we’ll keep doing it better than anyone else.



What will a Place Purpose and brand do?

— Galvanise and unite the team
— Ensure relevance to your audiences
— Be relevant to your audiences
— Underpin your broader vision
— Inspire desirability and loyalty
— Set you apart from competition
— Increase asset’s value


Most importantly


Over the course of the Downtown West project, you’re going to be making dozens of decisions each day. How do you ensure that each decision contributes in the right way?

Place Purpose is the decision funnel for everything you do.

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