Building a Campaign with Jim Walden

From the beginning, our goal was to help Jim Walden articulate who he is and what he stands for—clearly, boldly, and in his own words. Working closely with Jim and subject matter experts, we developed a series of deeply researched “Special Messages” that addressed some of the city’s most urgent issues, including the housing crisis, antisemitism, gerrymandering, public safety, and support for city retirees. These weren’t boilerplate position papers—they were mission statements, each reflecting a deep understanding of policy and a direct challenge to the political status quo.

We also collaborated on the campaign’s brand architecture. We worked with Jim’s team to draft dozens of deliverables from posters to palm cards to t-shirts. We developed platform framing and ensured consistency across public-facing materials. Our focus was always on clarity, authenticity, and tone—never performative, never pandering.

What made this work meaningful was Jim himself. He showed up to every conversation with humility, curiosity, and relentless honesty. That shaped the tone of the campaign: serious, grounded, and uncompromising. We weren’t crafting a politician. We were amplifying a person of substance who had already spent decades fighting for justice, and who saw public service not as a stepping stone, but as a responsibility.

This wasn’t a typical campaign, and Jim Walden isn’t a typical candidate. He chose truth over popularity, accountability over applause, and policy over posturing. In the end, he didn’t stay in the race to play politics—he left the race with his integrity fully intact.

We’re proud of the work we did. Not because it was flashy, but because it was honest. In a time of spectacle, we helped tell the story of a man who meant what he said—and that, in itself, is something worth remembering.