For-profit

Northwest Polite Society

Website:

nwpolitesociety.com/

Location:

Seattle, WA

Founded:

2012

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Northwest Polite Society is a Seattle-based, liberal marketing consultancy. It offers what it calls “guerilla” marketing services, event coordination, digital ad campaigns, and print advertising. 1 2 3

Northwest Polite Society incorporates liberal advocacy in its work by supporting LGBT issues. 4 It endorsed a series of amicus briefs in Arlene’s Flowers v. Washington, arguing that religious freedom did not permit a Seattle florist to choose whether or not it provides its services to same-sex weddings. 5

Some of Northwest Polite Society’s more notable clients include Amazon, T-Mobile, Seattle Pride, Red Bull, Lululemon, and Nordstrom. 6

Background

Founded in 2012, Northwest Polite Society is a liberal marketing consultancy agency based in Seattle, Washington. It provides advertising services by coordinating events, performing digital campaigns, and through street marketing. 1 2 3

Among its marketing services, Northwest Polite Society advocates for support for LGBT issues. 4 It organized Seattle’s Pride Festival from 2016 to 2018, which was supported by over 20 local businesses and served to celebrate Seattle’s LGBT community. 7

Activities

In 2015, Northwest Polite Society supported a campaign titled SelfID. SelfID is a video series of members of the LGBT community discussing their sexualities and gender identities to advocate for normalizing LGBT statuses. 8 9

Northwest Polite Society joined a coalition of for-profit and nonprofit organizations that supported a same-sex couple in Arlene’s Flowers v. Washington after they had been denied service from a florist for their homosexual wedding. They endorsed several amicus briefs arguing that the couple was being discriminated against and that religious freedom under the First Amendment does not allow the business to deny services specifically to same-sex weddings even if the owner seeks to only service traditional weddings. 5

People

Chuck Zimmerman is a cofounder and principal of Northwest Polite Society. Previously he worked as marketing manager for several different marketing firms. 10

References

  1. “Experiential Marketing – Polite Society.” Polite Society – Seattle Marketing Agency. Accessed December 4, 2022. https://nwpolitesociety.com/experiential.
  2. “Street Marketing – Polite Society.” Polite Society – Seattle Marketing Agency. Accessed December 4, 2022. https://nwpolitesociety.com/street-marketing.
  3. “Amplify Your Brand Online – Social and Digital Marketing – Polite Society.” Polite Society – Seattle Marketing Agency. Accessed December 4, 2022. https://nwpolitesociety.com/digital.
  4. Cross, Charles R. “David Bowie, Cultural Pioneer, Struck Chord in Seattle Music.” The Seattle Times. The Seattle Times Company, January 12, 2016. https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/music/david-bowie-cultural-pioneer-dead-at-69-musicians-recall-his-influence/.
  5. “GSBA Legislativetracker.” SCOTUS Rejects Arlene’s Flowers Appeal. Accessed December 4, 2022. https://www.thegsba.org/advocacy/gsba-legislative-agenda/gsba-blog/2021/07/07/scotus-rejects-arlene%27s-flowers-appeal.
  6. “Clients – Polite Society.” Polite Society – Seattle Marketing Agency. Accessed December 4, 2022. https://nwpolitesociety.com/clients.
  7. “Volunteer Park Pride Festival – Polite Society.” Polite Society – Seattle Marketing Agency. Accessed December 4, 2022. https://nwpolitesociety.com/volunteer-park-pride-festival.
  8. TheAdvocateMag. “An Artist Makes Seattle Question Notions of Gay, Straight, Girl, Boy.” ADVOCATE. Advocate.com, September 2, 2015. https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/2015/09/02/artist-makes-seattle-question-notions-gay-straight-girl-boy.
  9. #SelfID. Accessed December 4, 2022. https://selfid.me/.
  10. “Chuck Zimmerman – Principal – Northwest Polite Society | Linkedin.” Accessed December 5, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuck-zimmerman-99954b9.
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Northwest Polite Society


Seattle, WA