by thesavageway | Jan 17, 2023 | clean graffiti
Clean Graffiti is a service that The Savage Way has been offering for almost 10 years now, and everyday we still explain it to someone for the first time. When you have created a new way to do something, this is an inevitable reality. We wanted to breakdown exactly why Clean Graffiti is a great option for clients looking to spread the word about their business.
Also known as “Reverse Graffiti,” Clean Graffiti is ideal for clients who are looking for innovative brand awareness, spreading the word of an event-driven initiative, or looking to increase their Corporate Social Responsibility. Clean Graffiti is the perfect addition to your traditional media buy because we are able to directly target your customer with an untapped resource – the sidewalk. And best of all, it’s just water – no paint, no chemicals, just water.
Seriously, let’s break it down. This is why Clean Graffiti is an amazing out-of-home marketing opportunity for your clients.
It’s Just Water (aka Eco-friendly Advertising)
Yes, it really is created simply using high pressure water and dirt. It is an eco-friendly alternative to other outdoor advertising opportunities (think billboards, bus stop ads, posters, etc). Using a pressure washer and a technologically advanced stencil, our team sprays the water on top of the stencil and leaves a clean message on a dirty sidewalk. That’s it… no chemicals, no bleach, no acid, no paint… just water! Check out this video to see a glimpse into the process.
Targeted Marketing
Clean Graffiti allows you to target your customer exactly where they are walking – the sidewalk. In this social media-crazed day-in-age, everyone is already looking down at their phone, why not leave an unexpected message on the sidewalk to drive your brand home? We always get the question of ROI. We wish we had a way to tell you exactly how many eyeballs are on your ad, but much like postering or other guerrilla style marketing efforts, we can give you a ballpark. Our team is experienced in marketing & advertising and our Founder did Media Buying for 10 years before starting The Savage Way. We know where the people are walking in these hot neighborhoods that will give the best reach for your campaign.
It’s Innovative
When you are buying media for yourself or a major client, they are always asking for the next best opportunity to get their name out there. They want to “go viral” which translates to being seen by their customers. Clean Graffiti is a great medium to pitch to your clients. It’s innovative and different and let’s them get their name in a place they have never been able to before – the sidewalk! Especially when reverse graffiti is a part of a larger media plan, we find that this non-traditional advertising purchase works so well.
Guerrilla Marketing at its Finest.
We always joke that we never thought we’d be strategically cleaning sidewalks for a living, but here we are! We get to operate in a gray area and that allows us to get creative with placements. By all means we respect the public space and are always mindful of the message in regards to the content and the actual placement (aka – we would never put a media spot directly in front of a competitor). We know that we are a new medium for people and we are always looking to partner with cities and county boards, not piss them off. Because at the end of the day we are simply taking something OFF the sidewalk. 😉
Get Creative with Branding
Clean Graffiti is a great way for companies to have some fun with their branding. We always encourage a message that is fun, witty or will make a person stop and smile. A supreme example of this was a campaign we pitched to an orthopedic surgeon’s practice where we found broken or uneven sidewalk squares and put down a “Watch Your Step” Clean Graffiti message. It was just genius – helpful to the public AND brought to you by a client who could help you if you DID fall.
Create Organic Third-Party Content
This type of unexpected messaging under your feet is an excellent example of an advertising campaign that someone will take a picture of and post to their own social media. When is the last time that someone took a picture of your client’s billboard or bus ad?? Not that often! But Clean Graffiti is cool, eco-friendly and *hopefully* a fun, lighthearted message that simply helps spread brand awareness. That organic third-party content is something that you just can’t pay for normally!
The Savage Way Team is Experienced
We have been blessed to work with so many amazing clients. Here are some of the highlights: The Rolling Stones, Talkspace, Diet Coke, Bud Light, Novant Hospital, Atrium Health, Mecklenburg County, Carolina Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, The ACC Tournament, Clean Juice, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte FC, Lululemon, MetroHealth Cleveland, Whistlepig Whiskey and many more.
Cost Effective Out of Home Advertising Alternative
We get it. Billboards and bus ads are expensive. It is a costly investment for a 1 month run of an ad on a typical billboard opportunity, especially if you request a high-visibility board. That is what makes Clean Graffiti a fantastic alternative. Clean Graffiti gets you RIGHT under the feet of your target market for a fraction of the cost. And best of all, our spots can last anywhere from 1 month to 8 months.
How A Campaign Looks
Campaigns can all be customized but a typical package is 1 specially designed stencil, 10 Clean Graffiti media placements within a 1-2 mile radius in a targeted neighborhood/city. Our team executes end-to-end and then we provide a full recap with maps, list of locations and photos for social media use. We operate all over the USA and have been in over 75 cities. Our team is experienced and can travel almost anywhere for a job.
We find that the best practices for a Clean Graffiti campaign include using the medium for brand awareness with a funny/witty/eye-catching message. No one really likes to see just a logo on the ground. Making note that way-finding can be tough – it has to be the most perfect concrete and there is no guarantee it will be dirty on the corner to show an arrow (make sense?). We find that flexibility and trust in our team always makes the end product better for the client.
So now that you know the ins and outs of a Clean Graffiti campaign, hit us up when you are ready to finally do something different!
by thesavageway | Jan 4, 2023 | clean graffiti, moss art, Uncategorized
Hello 2023! There is a genuine excitement and readiness that comes with the beginning of the year. The energy is palpable. I know The Savage Way team was lucky enough to take the holiday break to relax, spend time with friends and family and reflect on the previous year.
2022 HIGHLIGHTS
- 10 Year Anniversary: how is that even possible, but we celebrated our decade in business. The amount of love that we felt from our clients, friends and family was extraordinary. It was the perfect moment to celebrate what we’ve accomplished and ignite a new passion for 2023.
- 1 Year in our new Warehouse Studio!
- Tons of new Clean Graffiti clients & we traveled to San Francisco, CA, and Racine & Kenosha, WI this year!
- Over 80 Custom Moss Art projects including installations in Credit One Stadium in Charleston, Truist Headquarters in Uptown Charlotte, Keller Williams Chattanooga, TN, and many more.
- Introduced our Moss Art Rental Walls. (reach out to us for more info!)
- Welcomed 5 new Moss Artist team members! Plus brought on some amazing contractors for Graphic Design, Sign making / Vinyl Printing and installations.
- Had our first year of The Savage Way Shop! Big things to come here.
- Launched our Email Blast! Sign up here.(just scroll to the footer!)
- Featured in the Mint Museum Uptown Charlotte for the Yasuke: A Hidden Ronin Exhibition.
- Featured in Home Design & Decor Magazine!
The Savage Way has big visions for our future. We are constantly improving, innovating and finding ways to reach new levels. We push ourselves in both Moss Art and Clean Graffiti. Here is a glimpse into these two sectors and what we are calling-in for the next 365 days.
MOSS ART
Moss Art / Biophilic design is huge in the design world and we are grateful to be a big part of it. Our experience and creativity help to make us a go-to, local source for preserved green walls. In addition to the green walls, acoustic panels, and logos that we are known for, we are pushing the line with our integration of paint and moss. Our incredible team of artists collaborate on ideas and we CAN’T WAIT to bring some new styles and lines to our online shop this year.
CLEAN GRAFFITI
Clean Graffiti continues to be a sleeper horse for marketing and advertising companies across the country. Our eco-friendly sidewalk messaging is the perfect shake-up to the media buy. Clients are constantly asking for the next best thing, what else can they do beyond magazine ads, billboards, and digital ad buys. Clean Graffiti (aka Reverse Graffiti) allows the client to target their audience exactly where they walk everyday – the sidewalk. Everyone is looking down at their phone already, so what better way to reach them than to put a positive, fun, applicable message pressure-washed onto the dirty sidewalk?! It’s eye-catching, innovative and sure to spark a conversation. The beauty of working with The Savage Way on a guerrilla-style marketing campaign like Clean Graffiti, is that we’ve operated in 75+ cities across the United States. Our team is experienced, target-audience focused and a breeze to work with.
THINGS ARE LOOKING UP
2023 is going to be full of creative energy. We all feel that we are just scratching the surface with some of our offerings. Our heads will be down working, researching, and finding new ways to integrate into the art and marketing scene. If you, your company or clients are looking for a new, creative approach to get your name out – either with a preserved moss branded logo, or sidewalk ads – The Savage Way is the team for you! Reach out to us at [email protected] to start the conversation.
Happy 2023!!
by thesavageway | Mar 17, 2022 | clean graffiti
On the topic of recent Clean Graffiti news, The Savage Way has collaborated with the Mecklenburg County Public Health Department, Novant Health & Atrium Health to take action towards the prevention of gun violence. Our team was excited when we were presented with the opportunity to help bring a stop to gun violence in Mecklenburg county, and instantly wanted to be a part of the activism.
For the actual Clean Graffiti design, the Mecklenburg County team envisioned, created, and presented an image for us to bring to life. The chosen message was meaningful and impactful. The reverse graffiti message contains a hand with a heart crushing a gun with the words “Violence Free Zone,” written below it. The hand & heart combination represents two things that are necessary in order to end gun violence; a strong community and love.
Not only is our Clean Graffiti eco-friendly, but it is also eye-catching and sheds a new light on how to creatively advertise for companies, community initiative, events and much more. We located target bus stops and schools within Mecklenburg County where gun violence is an ongoing issue. Our team placed 20 spots around West Charlotte & Northwestern Charlotte neighborhoods that had high foot-traffic and bystander interaction.
Below are some of the actual spots we placed around the city:
Looking to learn more about this community safety campaign and why Novant, Atrium and the county partnered? Check out this exclusive article featured on MeckNC.gov.
by thesavageway | Feb 9, 2022 | clean graffiti, moss art
HELLO! WE ARE THE SAVAGE WAY.
We wanted to take a moment to reintroduce ourselves. We’re The Savage Way – a woman owned & led team of artists, marketers and creatives. We have been busy over the past few years and wanted to share some updates.
2021 COMPANY FAST FACTS
- Moved our studio to a 4,500 sqft warehouse in Charlotte, NC
- Rebranded & relaunched thesavageway.com
- Entered 7 new markets for Clean Graffiti including LA, Austin & Cleveland
- Began creating large scale Fern Frames for residential and corporate clients
- Launched our Moss Art Online Shop
- First Art show at The Brooklyn Collective
- Welcomed 7 new team members
For those of you new here, we exclusively do two things – Moss Art and Clean Graffiti.
MORE ABOUT CLEAN GRAFFITI
Clean Graffiti, aka reverse graffiti, is an outdoor advertising campaign that is innovative, eco-friendly and a great way to capture the attention of your target market where they walk – the sidewalk. And best of all, it’s created using just water – no paint, no chemicals, just water. Our advanced stencil technology allows us to maintain brand standards for some of the biggest brands – The Rolling Stones, NFLs Carolina Panthers, major healthcare companies and more.
2021 CLIENTS
Our clients took us across the country for these eco-friendly advertising campaigns including Los Angeles, CA, Austin, TX and Cleveland, OH!
- Talkspace in Austin & Los Angeles
- Rolling Stones / Tepper Sports & Entertainment
- Multifamily Apartments: Northwood Ravin (multi-city), Cortland Apartments in Texas
- Cacti Launch for Anheuser-Busch
- Public Health: Anti-Gun violence campaign with Meck County/Novant Health/Atrium Health, HIV Prevention for MetroHealth in Cleveland, OH
- Carolina Panthers
- Pendleton Whiskey / French West Vaughn
- Non Profits: Hue House / Digital Navigators, Pat’s Place, Isabella Santos Foundation
- High Point Furniture Market Major NC Event
- Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit
- Local Businesses: Planet Fitness, Skydive Carolina, Plumped CLT, Carolina Pharmacy
- And many more
NO MAINTENANCE MOSS ART
Our moss offerings have evolved from reindeer moss logos to now creating large scale installations, interior design elements, sound-absorbing panels, incorporating neon signs, etc. We work hand-in-hand with Architects, General Contractors, Millworkers and Business Owners to bring the vision to life. Moving to our new studio has increased our capacity 10 fold and we are excited to be taking on more and more projects at large scale.
2021 CLIENTS
- Architecture Firms: BB+M Architecture, Perkins Eastman
- Designers: Southpark Interiors, Free Space Design, Design Bar, Cline Design, Urban Design Partners, Liquid Design
- Contractors/Sign Companies: Onsite Millworking, Southwood, Warco Construction
- Multifamily: Northwood Ravin, Wood Partners, Alta Wren, Alta Davis, Greystar Apartments
- Other Businesses: Bank of America Corporate HQs, Carolina Sports Clinic, Clariant Corporation, UNC Charlote
- Private Collectors
- Pop Art Collaborations with Jen Hill, Cheeks
- And many more
OH YEAH, WE LAUNCHED AN ONLINE SHOP!
Lastly, we launched our online residential Moss Shop in December 2021. We have been asked for years by customers, fans and friends to offer a residential line of Moss Art and we finally did! You can now buy 8 different and unique Moss Art products for your home – from a Mood bowl or colorful Hamsa to merchandise. Check out everything at shop.thesavageway.com. We will be dropping new collections and artwork periodically, so be sure to sign up for our email blast to stay in the know.
As The Savage Way continues to grow in both our Moss Art and Clean Graffiti offerings, we just want to take a moment of gratitude. We are so excited about this company we have created, the amazing women we have on the team and the fact that we get to play in Mother Nature all day. Seriously, it is a dream we’ve cultivated over the years and we are so proud. So here’s to good dirt, lots of moss and tons of laughter in the year ahead. Hit us up with any questions.
by thesavageway | Sep 14, 2021 | clean graffiti
Okay Carolina Panthers fans… it’s time to do your dance! We are honored to partner with our friends at OrthoCarolina & the Carolina Panthers for a Touchdown Dance Contest. We have put six Clean Graffiti Dance Zones in Uptown Charlotte in hopes that you will see a spot, do a little dance, have some fun and be entered to win 4 home game tickets!
A little about Clean Graffiti – it’s advertising made with water. That’s right, Clean Graffiti is made by pressure washing a stencil onto the sidewalk. We use a specialized stencil to create the artwork and our team then maps out the advertising campaign to capture the most benefit for the client. From company logos to community safety messages to fun social contests, Clean Graffiti is a great way to target your audience in an unexpected and environmentally friendly way!
It’s easy to enter. Follow these steps:
1. Find a Touchdown Dance Zone made with Clean Graffiti (aka reverse graffiti) in various locations on the sidewalks near Bank of America Stadium.
2. Do your favorite touchdown dance on camera and post it to Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.
3. Use the hashtag #TDContest and tag @OrthoCarolina in your post.
4. Post before the contest ends on Sept 19, 2021 to be entered to win four tickets to a home Panthers game this season. Winners will be notified via the channel they posted on by Sept. 24.
Here’s where you can find all of the Clean Graffiti locations for the #TDContest.
Read the official rules & regulations here.
We love working with the team at OrthoCarolina. Yes, they are incredibly talented surgeons and leaders in Orthopedic Medicine, but we also know them as true partners. Whether we are pitching them a far-out idea or they bring us into the conversation because they know we are “out-of-the-box,” the OC team is always ready to push the line, ready to elevate their marketing voice and show other companies how to create brand recognition and loyalty. We value their trust in us, their community leadership efforts and overall ability to have fun with their marketing campaigns. Like this Touchdown Dance Contest with an NFL team – fun, different and eco-friendly!
Now go find a spot and do your best #TDContest dance!!
by thesavageway | Jun 9, 2021 | clean graffiti
Talkspace is an online mental health platform that makes it easy to talk to connect with a licensed therapist in a convenient & secure way from the comfort of your phone – whenever, wherever. They have simplified the approach to mental health, and we are here for it.
Together, we partnered on a Clean Graffiti campaign in two major US cities, Los Angeles, CA and Austin, TX. “Healing is a journey, every step counts.” @Talkspace. This simple, direct message on the sidewalk communicates to the public that mental health should be a priority and that anything that you are doing to heal is a step in a positive direction.
Our eco-friendly outdoor advertising medium is perfect to target audiences in an unexpected way. We brought this eco-friendly medium to Austin & Los Angeles in some prime walking areas – think Melrose Ave & Congress Ave. We tend to see best results when Clean Graffiti, or reverse graffiti, is used in tandem with other advertising initiatives like billboards, flyers, social media ads, etc. Consumers are inundated with advertisements in today’s world and seeing your brand from multiple – and innovative – directions is key.
Here are some more Clean Graffiti ad placements for Talkspace in LA & Austin!
We are proud to work with such forward-thinking companies that have the health and wellness of the community as their core focus.
by thesavageway | Apr 19, 2020 | clean graffiti
Our latest reverse graffiti campaign for iHeartMedia in collaboration with Greenworks went down around the South End neighborhood of Charlotte, NC. The goal is to help spread the word about Earth Day – April 22, 2020.
Since most people are walking their neighborhoods right now due to shelter-in-place orders across the county, it was a good time to put down a nice reminder on the sidewalk. Keep your eye out for the “Make the world a better place” Clean Graffiti and you could win $500 to Lowe’s Home Improvement.
This eco-friendly Clean Graffiti message was created using only water and a stencil.
Find this image, post to your Instagram and be entered to win a $500 Lowes Gift Card. Powered by 106.5 The End & Greenworks
Clean Graffiti by #thesavageway in Charlotte, NC.
CONTEST DETAILS
Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day with a $500 Lowe’s gift card from Greenworks Tools!
Starting April 1st, while you are out getting exercise or walking your dog, look for the “Make the world a better place” Clean Graffiti on the sidewalks around South End in Charlotte in honor of Earth Day, April 22nd. Post one of the sidewalk photos to your Instagram with #greenworks and #sweepstakesentry for a chance to win a $500 Lowe’s gift card!
Good luck and happy Earth Day from @GreenworksTools
by thesavageway | Feb 11, 2020 | clean graffiti
Who is one of the biggest rock bands of all time? The Rolling Stones definitely make the top of the list, and we just had the opportunity to do Clean Graffiti for them in Charlotte, NC. (Yeah.. the freaking Rolling Stones!)
We were contacted by the team at the Carolina Panthers to pull off a quick reverse graffiti campaign to help promote the announcement of a huge concert at Bank of America stadium. The goal, along with their other marketing tactics, was to tease the fact that the Rolling Stones were going back on tour. In several places around the city, including Clean Graffiti on the sidewalk, the famous Stones “mouth” appeared with phrases that hinted at a concert announcement. These “tease and reveals” also happened across the country where Mick Jagger and the Stones will soon play to sold out arenas.
This Clean Graffiti message was simple, on brand, and the PERFECT teaser to get the masses curious about what the Rolling Stones might be up to. We put our pressure washed images across popular walking areas including Uptown, South End, NoDa and Plaza Midwood. It has been fun to see passersby post the images to their Instagram stories and get excited for the concert.
The Rolling Stones use Clean Graffiti to promote their 2020 Concert Tour in Charlotte, NC.
The Rolling-Freaking-Stones use reverse graffiti!!
Walkers in Charlotte see a Clean Graffiti spot and post it to their Instagram Story. (via @summerjadyn)
Via Charlotte Agenda Instagram: The jumbo screen at the Bank of America Stadium showcases the Rolling Stones teaser campaign.
Via Charlotte Agenda’s Instagram: The Rolling Stones use the digital billboard at the EpiCentre to tease a 2020 Concert Tour date.
This was such a beautiful use of our eco-friendly medium. Since the Rolling Stones are so iconic and everyone associates the “mouth” with this band, the stencil could be kept clean and simple. No words, no call to action – just a teaser that also acts as brand awareness. And to utilize the sidewalks where potential concert-goers are walking everyday is the perfect new way to reach their audience.
The concert is scheduled for July 1, 2020 at Bank of America Stadium. Tickets will go on sale at 10am on Friday, Feb. 14. More information can be found at rollingstones.com.
At #thesavageway, we are proud to work with ALL of our clients. They see the value in doing something different and are not afraid to push the line when it comes to their marketing. However, this campaign in particular is pretty high up on the list of favorite campaigns. The Rolling Stones, one of the biggest rock bands to ever grace this earth, used Clean Graffiti to promote their concert. (mind blown!). It is a great reminder to us that anything is possible and to keep reaching for the moon when it comes to our business.
Serious job love right here. #thesavageway
