by thesavageway | Jul 24, 2014 | services
Photography. There truly is an art to taking a photograph. Your professionals have gone to school and studied the craft for years to master this art – and it shows. But, in this day in age, most people have a smartphone with a built-in powerful camera. The opportunity to take a beautiful photo is just a finger tap away.
Here at #thesavageway, we watch social media all day long and we notice photos. Some are high quality and creative while others are out of focus or have terrible lighting. We know that not everyone is a professional photographer, but there really is no reason to have a blurry photograph let alone post it to your Facebook page. Knowing how to use your phone’s camera is one of the first things that we teach our clients.
When we are not teaching how to focus on an iPhone, we watch the photo trends (yes, there are trends) as we are scrolling through our news feeds. The easiest portal to analyze is the visually driven Instagram. Past trends that we love include the personal point of view that traveller @MuradOsmann does so well.
We also adore the Where’s Waldo angle of @AndrewKnapp who finds a way to add his dog Momo in every picture.
One of the photo trends we love these days is the foodie “aerial view.” This bird’s-eye view allows the audience to appreciate the overall scene and gives a different angle of food.
A few of the Instagram accounts that do this overhead view very well are national accounts @SweetGreen and @ThugLifeForevs .
Left: SweetGreen Right: ThugLifeForevs
Locally we appreciate what the guys at @ThePlaidPenguin are doing and love how @KeiaIsHungry utilizes this angle.
Left: The Plaid Penguin Right: Keia Mastrianni
These images always get us to stop scrolling and look. They are clever and memorable. Exactly what a photo on Instagram is supposed to do. This bird’s-eye view is a great way to showcase food pictures. It shows the beauty of food that a close up doesn’t always capture. Photo trends come and go, as all trends do, but a quality picture lasts forever.
by thesavageway | Jul 1, 2014 | clean graffiti, services
How many people ever have the opportunity to meet the leader of their industry? The “Steve Jobs” of what they put their heart and soul into? Well #thesavageway had the opportunity to do just that this past weekend. We (Torrie & Paula) headed to Nashville, TN to meet the European “Godfather” of reverse graffiti, Jim Bowes.
Jim Bowes , Sustainable Advertising Pioneer, has been practicing natural media in the Netherlands and throughout Europe for over a decade with his company Green Graffiti. They offer a huge range of natural techniques including sand stamping, moss graffiti, milk paint, reverse graffiti and more!
When #thesavageway started doing Clean Graffiti over two and a half years ago, we did some research online to see if other people were doing this around the world. Sure enough it was an established art form in Europe . There were not many companies to be found, but one of the biggest and most active online was Green Graffiti. We would see Jim comment on articles and give his insight ANYTIME reverse graffiti came up in an online post. He was obviously knowledgeable and had a voice in this “green” movement. Seeing natural media from his perspective was very insightful from our location in Charlotte, NC.
Finally, after admiring his work from afar we decided that we were going to reach out. We said, “Screw it, let’s email him and see what happens.” Sure enough, he emailed back, we set up a Skype session and Jim started interacting on all of our social portals. We were blown away at how receptive he was to what were doing here in Charlotte.
Oddly enough, Jim, who is based in the Netherlands, was going to be in the States at the end of June – Nashville, TN to be exact. There was not even a question for us; we were about to take a road trip! We were going to meet the “Godfather.”
Road Trip.
7 hours outside of the Queen City, we get into the heart of Downtown Nashville and settle in for what was sure to be an experience. It felt a little strange to be in another state, meeting a person that we did not know nor did we ever think we would have the opportunity to meet. Imagine meeting Richard Branson or Bill Gates – that just doesn’t happen everyday. He lives and operates on the other side of the world! Regardless, we knew that we were there for a reason and that we were going to embrace whatever knowledge this man was about to drop on us.
The Meeting of the Minds.
We met in a suburb of Nashville called Franklin (think what Ballantyne is to Charlotte). The hustle and bustle of this little city during lunch rush did not stop us from grabbing a cold beer at a local brewery.
It must be noted that there’s never been an instance where three strangers were more excited to meet over beer and talk about a city’s dirt!
The conversation flowed really well. We talked dirt, concrete, city laws, billboard waste – the topics were endless. We discussed #thesavageway, Clean Graffiti, our experience and challenges and he did the same. It was nice to chat with someone who has walked in our shoes. Someone who sees Clean Graffiti as we see it – a HUGE asset!
It is not often in life that you are given an opportunity to sit down in a business conversation with a person who is not only a competitor but also a cheerleader. To sit face-to-face with a guy who BELIEVES in Clean Graffiti the way that we do was a pretty awesome feeling.
After the Dirt Settled.
We walked away from our meeting with the “Godfather” more confident and assured that we are doing what we are supposed to be doing in this life. We felt proud of our Clean Graffiti journey knowing he has gone through some of the same things and has come out stronger and more innovative in the end.
Jim brought up a fact that we have continued to reflect upon. He said, “It takes a brave soul to do what we do.”
We agree! Non-traditional marketing is not suited for everyone. It takes the right person for Clean Graffiti to succeed: it takes ethics, long term vision, a passion for sustainability, a little bit of risk taking, and most importantly gusto!
Who knows if we will see Jim again or what collaborative projects may be in our future – be we do know that we went to good ole Music City in order for our path to cross with the Godfather’s. That reason may not be perfectly clear just yet – but we do know that we will continue to live our lives with gusto until we figure it out!
by thesavageway | Jun 17, 2014 | clean graffiti
What do you get when you mix Art, Dirt and Messaging?? What you get is Clean Graffiti – or a Clean Message on a Dirty Sidewalk! #thesavageway has been given the opportunity to present our idea for a Clean Graffiti art project at Queen City Soup on Sunday, June 22!!
So what is Queen City Soup?
“Queen City Soup” is a regional micro-grant program housed under Project Art Aid, for emerging and established artists and community activists in the Charlotte metropolitan area. This quarterly event seeks proposals from local artists for projects in the range of $1500-$2500. The projects must have some tangible benefit to community, and projects that have a broad public impact are encouraged. Project Art Aid organizes the events, which include food and drinks, an opportunity to meet the artists, and a program where the artists pitch their projects to the attendees.”
How it works – you pay $10 for a ticket and join the audience. You get to watch the work from 5 artists – we’re talking dancers, a videographer, a talk show host, an art camp, and then there is us (orange safety suits and all)! After we each perform for 5 minutes – you, the audience, cast your vote!
From #thesavageway, you can expect to see five minutes of positive vibes, passion, and a mission to bring inspiring Clean Graffiti messages to some low-income areas around Charlotte. We want the community to see how something as simple as Clean Graffiti can change someone’s perspective.
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT! Please come out on Sunday and cheer us on, laugh with us, and help us make our little dream of bringing positive, inspiring messages to places in Charlotte that need some encouragement a reality.
DETAILS
What: Torrie & Paula Present Art & Dirt
Date: Sunday, June 22
Time: 4:00pm
Location: Charlotte Ballet
Cost: $10 (includes heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks)
Join Facebook Event Here
Buy Tickets Here
by thesavageway | Nov 13, 2012 | clean graffiti
By: Paula Bartlett (PR/Marketing Manager : Forever Intern)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaszMm0ch4E&w=640&h=360]
When I met Torrie Savage, I knew that things in my life were about to dramatically change. Here we were, two twenty-something strangers having a drink at the local watering hole Jack Beagles in NoDa, with business being the last thing on our minds. We got to talking about what we did for a living (me: a bartender with aspirations to break into the event/marketing/communications field, her: a talented marketing executive with aspirations to start her own business). The stars were aligning right in front of my eyes.
After a few busy, busy weeks we FINALLY met up for a drink to discuss potentially working together. She started telling me about #thesavageway and what she hoped to accomplish with her company. She spoke about working with small businesses, working to positively influence the community, helping Charlotte to see that there are other ways to get a message out (a.k.a. what became Clean Graffiti) and a million other ideas. Things just clicked. I knew that I wanted to be a part of this future and this company. So, I’m sure somewhat reluctantly, she agreed to let me intern with her. A trial period. I mean, she did meet me in a bar and had to make sure I could do what I said I could 🙂
Things immediately got underway. She wasn’t officially a company yet but we operated like one… booking clients, brainstorming ideas, doing work! I learned something new from her everyday and loved being able to pick her brain about social media, how it works, why it works, strategy, etc. I felt at home and that I was finally doing something I’d been trying to do since I graduated from college in Ohio a few years ago.
So it’s been six months since I joined this team and I still can’t believe that I’ve been so blessed to work in an environment where I am challenged everyday. Where I get to work alongside fantastic, creative people, have fun, listen to music, dance and be goofy all while changing the Charlotte marketing scene. Everything about #thesavageway and what the company believes in is something I stand behind whole-heartedly. Truly blessed!
Now, when I look back on that fateful moment when Torrie and I met, all I can be is thankful that we both needed a dirty martini that day!
by thesavageway | Oct 24, 2012 | clean graffiti, services
Dirty Sidewalk, Clean Message.
the concept : clean graffiti
the goal : eco-friendly advertising
the market : charlotte, nc
the brainstormers: my father and I
It was a few years ago when I first stumbled upon the idea of clean graffiti, I was helping my dad pressure wash his back sidewalk leading up to the deck. As I started to draw on the sidewalk with the pressure of the water the light bulbs went off in my head. My father and I then started to discuss the possibilities of how cool it would be to see a business’ name on the ground.
I then took this rough, cursive writing, and immediately began thinking why this hadn’t been done yet with a stencil and a message/campaign. Well, sure enough, reverse graffiti had been done before! Though starting as an art form and then a medium for advertising in Europe, the concept still hadn’t caught on as prevalently in the States. So, I did a the research and saw a need and an opportunity in the Charlotte community for a unique, green marketing initiative.
The stars began to align when I pitched my concept to OrthoCarolina, the largest private physician’s network in the Carolinas. They jumped at the chance to partner with a local small business and I couldn’t believe I was going to have a contract with such a large, positive, influential company.
My hope with Clean Graffiti is to partner with companies that wish to make a “green” mark on the over saturated advertising world. The possibilities are truly endless when it comes to what my company can do with these ads – from coming up with creative content and making interesting messages to where the ads are placed. Clean Graffiti in just an extension of the services that I offer, but it is truly unique to the Queen City and something that I am very proud of.
