The following portfolio piece reflects the work of PlumLede’s founder while she worked Ophelia’s Place. Images are owned by OP.

Girls ages 10-18 dressed as their favorite superheros during Parent-Daughter GirlCon, including Superman and Batman.

In a galaxy not far from Downtown Eugene, was an event designed for girls ages 10-18 to explore all things geek. Parent-Daughter GirlCon was one way girl-empowering nonprofit Ophelia’s Place wanted to celebrate girls and their interests, while also encouraging the guardian/daughter bond that so many parents strive to nurture.

Ophelia’s Place is dedicated to empowering girls ages 10-18 to thrive in a complex world. By providing resilience and growth-focused education and support to girls and the adults who impact their lives, they help build communities that are better equipped to lift girls up. It does that important work through after-school programming, therapy, in-school empowerment groups, and training for youth-serving professionals.

OP quickly learned that girls not only enjoyed but thrived in STEAM-related spaces. Minecraft, Dungeons & Dragons, virtual reality, anime, coding, and other genres typically thought of as “boy-focused” have been loved by all youth for years. In an effort to create a Comic-Con-style event where girls felt comfortable wearing their favorite cosplay and embracing their geekdom, OP launched GirlCon to show girls that their interests don’t need to fit into any gender box.

In 2018, OP hosted its first GirlCon supported by a strategic marketing launch into the stratosphere. Email campaigns, organic and paid social media, printed flyers distributed to tech and gaming-adjacent businesses and communities, cross-promotional socials with GirlCon vendors and sponsors, media releases, on-air guest radio promotion and gifted media coverage drew more than 150 participants to the inaugural event.

GirlCon attendance grew year over year* ever since. OP and its marketing efforts helped GirlCon boldly go where girls had always wanted to go.

Customized marketing strategies and their implementation is PlumLede’s way of supporting nonprofits and businesses that care for the community. PlumLede can help you reach your goals. Let’s chat.

*The COVID pandemic took GirlCon online into a virtual format that year. Because yeah — Ophelia’s Place is good like that.