THE CHALLENGE: Our first insight came easy: The news is a commodity now. Switch on TV, radio or the Web, and you’ve got it. Quickly, colorfully, constantly updated and buzzing with electronic eye-candy. It’s a no-win arena for the humble printed page.

THE APPROACH: So how does a paper stay relevant? The true nugget, we found, was in the nature of Eugene, Oregon, itself. Eugene, and Lane County, isn’t a rational decision. It’s about love. The average pay is lower. The average house price higher. Yet people stay on out of passion. Passion for the unique confluence of academia and horse sense, of forest and ocean, business suit and Birkenstock, of corporate ladder and family tree.

THE WORK: The key, then, was celebration. Let’s make The Register-Guard the hub of Eugene, a place where people stay engaged, informed, connected, rewarded and constantly reminded why they’re here. Thus our rallying cry: “The Register-Guard. Where it all comes together.” The ads cement the bond between people and paper. A fresh graphic look intertwines the paper’s masthead with montages of residents at work and play. We use the paper’s photo archives in lieu of commercial photographers. We highlight its role in exchanging ideas, practical information, products and services. And humanize the reporters and editors as fellow citizens, not impartial analyst. All along, keeping ads fresh and fun enough to enhance the entertainment value of the paper.