by thesavageway | Nov 13, 2025 | clean graffiti
Patagonia is far beyond just an accomplished outdoor retailer. They are the kind of company that inspires us to our core. They care deeply about the environment and their impact on Mother Nature. As a certified B Corp since 2012, Patagonia cemented its commitment to environmental and socially responsible practices – and its found in everything they do.
Patagonia Uses Eco-Friendly Advertising
When we got the call to create multiple Clean Graffiti campaigns for Patagonia, we were elated to extend their environmentally-friendly practices to the outdoor advertising space. Clean Graffiti is created by using dirt on a sidewalk and high pressure water. We make a contrast in the dirt and leave a “clean message on a dirty sidewalk.” There are no paint, chemicals or bleach used. It’s just cleaning. So for a company that cares so deeply about protecting the environment, Clean Graffiti is an excellent choice for an OOH option. “The environmental impact (or lack thereof) of Clean Graffiti was definitely a key factor in determining what kind of local marketing we were interested in using,” said Andrew Farison, Retail Events Marketing Specialist for Patagonia.
“Patagonia’s experience using Clean Graffiti has been fantastic, leaning into a creative and eco-friendly way to help promote store locations and drive awareness in new markets in particular has proven to be a very efficient and cost-effective local marketing strategy,” continued Farison.
In recent years, we were able to hit the markets of:
– Charlotte, NC for the South End store – twice
– Baltimore, MD for the Fells Point store – twice
– Atlanta, GA for the ATL Beltline store
– Nashville, TN for the 601 Overton St store
The spots went down in high-foot traffic areas near the stores. We tried to find the popular walking paths where there was the most accumulated dirt on the sidewalks. We love how we were able to translate the Patagonia branding into stencil format – whether it was their traditional logo or a more artistic interpretation of the brand.
Making an Impact
The spots speak for themselves! Gorgeous, eye-catching and right where potential customers are walking – the sidewalk. It’s great how just using nature can make an incredible visual impact.
We love this quote from their website, “At Patagonia, we appreciate that all life on earth is under threat of extinction. We’re using the resources we have – our business, our investments, our voice and our imaginations – to do something about it.” Now THAT is what it means to stand on business. Honored to continue working with such a forward-thinking brand / company.
by thesavageway | May 21, 2025 | clean graffiti
We are honored to continue work with Mecklenburg County, North Carolina on this important Clean Graffiti campaign for the 988 Hotline for Suicide Prevention & Crisis Line. What a great way to remind people throughout the city that there is hope out there.
By simply calling or texting “988,” anyone can get help with social or family situations, depression, anxiety, thoughts of suicide, alcohol or drug use. You can also call if you just need someone to talk to. Mecklenburg County has resources available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It’s free, private, one-on-one help.
We were able to sprinkle these health & community messages throughout the county. It is so important that everyone knows that this resource is available regardless or your location or economic status.
Clean Graffiti is an amazing advertising vehicle to spread social and community messages like this. Seeing a message on the sidewalk is unexpected and may very well be the message that someone needed! We absolutely love seeing this eco-friendly medium being used to spread positivity and hope to a vulnerable population. Community matters, especially in times of mental crisis.
988 Hotline is a free suicide & crisis lifeline available 24/7. Simply call or text to chat with someone when you are struggling. There is never any judgement, just a listening ear and a person to give your resources. Check out more information here.
As the sidewalk message in Clean Graffiti reads, “It’s NEVER too late.” Check on your people, say “I love you,” and show up for others. And utilize 988 whenever needed.
by thesavageway | Oct 14, 2024 | clean graffiti
Community health messages are such a great use of Clean Graffiti and that is exactly what Proof Alliance NC has done for over a year now. This amazing organization is using unexpected placement (aka the sidewalk) to help spread an extremely important message about not drinking alcohol during pregnancy.
More About Proof Alliance NC
Proof Alliance NC is the North Carolina arm of the national nonprofit organization, Proof Alliance. They are the national leader in promoting the benefits of alcohol-free pregnancy and supporting those impacted by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Proof Alliance NC strives to prevent alcohol-exposed pregnancies by providing training, education and resources to professionals who serve individuals of reproductive age, deliver prevention messaging and resources to individuals who can become pregnant. Their work also provides resources for professionals who provide supports to families and individuals impacted by FASD.
The Clean Graffiti Campaign
The Savage Way has had the honor of working with Proof Alliance NC on multiple Clean Graffiti campaigns across the state. We placed a message that says, “Alcohol & Pregnancy Don’t Mix. We Have The Proof,” in both big cities like Charlotte, Raleigh and Winston-Salem, to smaller towns and beach cities where outdoor advertising is typically not really an option. Our eco-friendly sidewalk messages are such a great alternative to capture the attention of people walking to a bar / restaurant, waiting at a bus stop or walking to the park.
We love when we have a chance to use our medium for public health and community messages. Too often we are bombarded by billboards, radio ads, social media ads, tv, etc. and we totally miss the message. The beauty of Clean Graffiti (aka reverse graffiti) is that the sidewalk is not a place you typically see a message. It’s created used only high pressure water so it is an eco-friendly outdoor messaging tactic. Proof Alliance has been an exceptional client when it comes to trusting the medium and the impact that it can have on a targeted audience. We look forward to a continued partnership with the Proof Alliance NC team.
by thesavageway | Aug 6, 2024 | clean graffiti
This summer, we placed a fun & interactive Clean Graffiti campaign across Charlotte, NC for Smart Start of Mecklenburg County. The intention was to create a children’s game for families to have access to at no-cost. We placed 20 pressure-washed pieces of art in 17 neighborhoods! The results have been so much fun and we love to see kids interacting with the sidewalk games.
The campaign is sprinkled throughout the city in high foot-traffic areas near parks and bus stops. Neighborhoods include Enderly Park, Wesley Heights, 1st Ward, 4th Ward, Madison Park, Dilworth, Sedgefield, Cherry, Elizabeth, Plaza Midwood, Commonwealth Park, Sheffield Park, Plaza-Shamrock, NoDa, Villa Heights, Belmont, and Double Oaks. This effort brings awareness to the amazing services that Smart Start of Mecklenburg County offers our age 0-5 preschool children. Here is a cute video posted to the @SmartStartMeck Instagram page showing the game in action.
Smart Start of Mecklenburg County has a mission to “mobilize resources, forge partnerships, and support families to improve early childhood health, education and development, and ensure children are prepared for kindergarten.” It’s an awesome organization who make it their business to help children thrive before five. They have four internal programs in addition to funding more than 20 other programs in the community that focus on early care and education, family support, health, and literacy. They will invest over $35 million in early childhood programs throughout the community this year. We love any opportunity to pour into young kids and giving them a positive, growth mindset and get them ready for school.
Clean Graffiti, aka reverse graffiti, is an eco-friendly advertising medium that utilizes the sidewalk to spread a message to the community. Whether you are a small business owner, a large corporation or community initiative, Clean Graffiti is a fantastic way to bring a talk-ability (and fun element) to your marketing / advertising message.
by thesavageway | Jun 18, 2024 | clean graffiti
Killingsworth Environmental, the pest control company, used Clean Graffiti to creatively capture the attention of pedestrians in Charlotte, NC. In two separate campaigns, we were able to get clever about pest issues in our city. With eye-catching creative and the use of vanity URLs (CLTRats.com and CLTBugs.com), Killingsworth captured the audience and quickly directed them to a website that lays out an action item.
Two Campaigns
“What’s the deal with all the rats?!” (We can’t help but hear this in the voice of Jerry Seinfeld). But seriously, Charlotte has seen an increase in the rat population. Killingsworth is working hard to fix that issue with their new eco-friendly rodent clean up system called SMART. When the client reached out, we knew that this would be such a natural fit with the Killingsworth brand.
CLTBugs.com was the second campaign and again we had an eye-catching, creative message with a short and memorable URL. The goal was to drive people to a website to sign up for pest control services. “THEY’RE HERE…” with a bunch of bugs “crawling” on the sidewalk definitely grabs a pedestrian’s attention.
Why it Works
Clean Graffiti is a great addition to an overall marketing plan. Killingsworth is an established company (founded in 1993). They have market familiarity and they advertise in other spaces. Using a guerilla marketing tactic is a fun extension of the usual advertising initiatives. With Clean Graffiti, our client can reach their audience in a totally new space, the sidewalk, and leave a lasting impression with a clever message. When you see “What’s the deal with all the rats?” it makes you pause, analyze the question and go to CLTRats.com to learn more. It’s intriguing, clever and eco-friendly to boot.
We love the originality of these stencils and really appreciate how the Killingsworth team was open to the out-of-the-box nature of our advertising medium. Honored to get this awesome message from our client:
“To speak to the effectiveness of the campaign, I happened to mention rats this Wednesday while at Rhino Market and one of the staff members stopped me to ask if I had seen the “rat problem website on the sidewalks”. We appreciate your extra effort in making this campaign a success, especially last minute. It’s made CLTRats.com one of our most popular landing pages. (It ended the year as our second most popular page behind the homepage). Most importantly, it’s helped us make Charlotte a healthier place for everyone. We continue to see results from this campaign and look forward to working together more this year.” – Tessa Shoe, Marketing Manager of Killingsworth.
To learn more about Killingsworth and their services, head to their website.
by thesavageway | Apr 24, 2024 | clean graffiti
Ever since our hometown (Charlotte, NC) got a Major League Soccer team (shout out Charlotte FC), we have all been feeling the soccer hype. So, when we got a call from a large agency that works with United Stated Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer), we knew were going for goal.
We worked with You Are Here Agency, a sponsorship and activation agency, on a Clean Graffiti campaign for the U.S. Soccer & The U.S. Women’s National Team’s “SheBelieves Cup” in Atlanta, GA. This tournament hosting international teams was a major moment for women’s soccer, and YAH Agency wanted to bring more attention to the upcoming game. That is where Clean Graffiti came in as the perfect advertising companion.
We ran a campaign throughout the city of Atlanta that helped drive traffic to the SheBelieves Cup website. The spots were placed in popular walking areas throughout busy neighborhoods. With a goal of general awareness, along with ticket sales, our eco-friendly sidewalk advertising became a great way to grab the attention of potential customers in an unexpected way.
More about SheBelieves:
“Inspired by the U.S. Women’s National Team, SheBelieves is a movement to encourage young women and girls to reach their dreams, athletic or otherwise. The campaign was originally launched in the run-up to the 2015 Women’s World Cup and has evolved into a special bond between U.S. Soccer and its fans, taking a powerful message of empowerment and that of believing in yourself into communities across the nation.”
The 2024 SheBelieves Cup, presented by Visa, featured the USWNT, Brazil, Canada and Japan. The USA defeated Japan in a semifinal 2-1, and captured its fifth consecutive and seventh overall SheBelieves Cup title, defeating Canada 5-4 in a penalty kick shootout following a 2-2 draw through regulation. (source from U.S. Soccer website)
We absolutely love what this organization stands for. We need more empowerment, utilization of resources and encouragement for women and young girls. And we are honored to be able to have contributed to the marketing of this event with our Clean Graffiti (aka reverse graffiti).
by thesavageway | Feb 29, 2024 | clean graffiti
We were honored to create a Clean Graffiti campaign for the recent Charlotte Marathon in Charlotte, NC. Using our specialized stencils, high-pressure water and dirty sidewalks, we created motivational moments for runners. Also, we gave sponsors a new opportunity for visibility.
The Novant Health Charlotte Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K is a huge running event in the Southeast. Taking place throughout Uptown Charlotte and our beautiful surrounding neighborhoods, runners take to the streets on a massive physical feat. When you are running 26.2 miles, a little motivation is helpful.
In the months leading up to race day we put down “You can do this”and “Find your happy pace” motivational Clean Graffiti messages all around the Queen City. It was so awesome to hear from runners that they would come across one of the reverse graffiti images and simply smile and keep going. This eco-friendly form of outdoor advertising is a great way for sponsors, like Novant Health, to get their name out in a new and different way.
Clean Graffiti was the perfect, unexpected way to advertise for the marathon. Runners take to the sidewalks every single day to train. What better way to reach these customers than to be a motivation for them?! A marathon is a milestone race in a person’s life. It’s pretty cool that the race organizers believe so strongly in positive, motivational messages like Clean Graffiti.
Thanks to our friends at Well-Run Media for bringing us into this project. It’s wonderful to have partners who love and respect our offerings. The Well-Run Media crew is always open to fun campaign ideas for their clients.
If you are interested in running the 2024 Charlotte Marathon, you can find all the registration information here.
by thesavageway | Jan 31, 2024 | clean graffiti
Our eco-friendly outdoor advertising alternative, Clean Graffiti, is such a wonderful solution for creative marketing for Multi-Family Living and other apartment complexes to spread the word about apartment availability. In a world that is flush with social media ads, billboards, magazine ads and more, our unexpected sidewalk ads bring an entirely new level of creative marketing ideas for apartment living.
Clean Graffiti, also known as reverse graffiti, is created using a specialized stencil, a pressure washer and dirty concrete. We are literally creating something out of mother nature’s waste. It’s a creative & green option for marketing departments and multi-family developers to utilize. We (The Savage Way) can tap into an untapped resource and get a message out in an unexpected way.
We’ve had the pleasure of creating campaigns for several developers, property management companies and multi-family living communities all over the country in the past decade. Below we show several examples of how these companies were able to use our eco-friendly advertising with their fun branded messaging.
CLEAN GRAFFITI CLIENTS IN THE MULTI-FAMILY LIVING CATEGORY:
GREYSTAR
Atlantic Grand Oaks Charleston
400H Apartments (Raleigh)
WOOD PARTNERS
Abberly NoDa Vista (formerly Alta Warp & Weft Charlotte)
NOVEL by Crescent Communities:
Novel West Midtown (Atlanta)
30Six NoDA (formerly Novel NoDa)
NORTHWOOD RAVIN:
Village at Commonwealth (Charlotte)
Providence Row (Charlotte)
Residence at Capitol View (Nashville)
Cortland Communities (Phoenix)
Scott Crossing (Decatur, GA)
Galleries at Park Lane (Dallas)
Van Alen (Durham)
Carolina Square (Chapel Hill)
GRAYCO
Arlo Apartments
If you are looking for new ways of creative marketing for Multi-Family Living or are part of the marketing departments tasked with outreach, you know how difficult it is at times to continue to come up with unique selling tactics. Consider Clean Graffiti for your next out-of-the-box marketing idea. We can help from design to execution and can’t wait to talk with you.
