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 | Apr 14, 2014 | clean graffiti
Here at #thesavageway, we are taking a moment from the hectic pace of the everyday to look back at some of our awesome past clients.
About ‘Stache House Bar and Lounge:
Located in Charlotte’s historic South End neighborhood this bar and lounge features high-end liquor, craft beer and a variety of flavored hookah. Stop in any night of the week (expect Monday when they are closed) and you are sure to groove to a wide array of DJ’s with music ranging from neo-soul and jazz to house and 80’s dance pop.
We began working for ‘Stache House during the construction phase of their Historic SouthEnd location at the end of 2012. Getting to join/contribute to the branding conversation from the beginning is beyond ideal and one that we do not always get to participate in. We were recruited by Morgan Tadlock, formerly General Manager, Partner and Creative Director.
We focused on creating their brand and identifying their target market. This project was also the first opportunity we had to work with Pink Toast Ink – an extremely talented local graphic designer. Here are some examples of the ‘Stache House branding we created.
Beyond the branding, we consulted with the owners of ‘Stache House on their Social Media and creating their Areas of Content (or what they should be talking about online).
One of the elements of our company that we thoroughly enjoy is getting to create and work big events. We planned the ‘Stache House Grand Opening celebration in January of 2013. Complete with Media Night, VIP Party and Opening Night.
The media and crowds came out in full support of this fun, new bar/lounge and hookah bar. We were beyond happy with the support from the community and knew that the owners of this hip, new hot spot were happy with a job well done.
Fast forward to February 2014, we recently rekindled our relationship with ‘Stache House through an eco-friendly Clean Graffiti campaign in the SouthEnd neighborhood.
(Clean Graffiti is an eco-friendly and green form of advertising. These branded, positive messages are strategically placed on dirty sidewalks and a clean message remains. Not only is this an innovative and creative way to get a business’ marketing initiatives out to the public in a place that you typically would not be able to have a logo or message, but there is no use of any harmful chemicals or sprays – It’s just water!)
Work Hard. ‘Stache Hard.
by thesavageway | Feb 17, 2014 | clean graffiti
This is Part Three in a five part series diving into Clean Graffiti in the Queen City. Clean Graffiti is a service that #thesavageway offers; it is a unique, green form of advertising available since 2012. With several clients in the books, it is time to reflect on the practice. This piece is about Social Media Usage of Clean Graffiti.
In this day in age, Social Media is as common as drinking a glass of water or showing up for work. As a business, if you are not utilizing social media in all of its forms (that fit your business), you are missing out on a huge marketing opportunity. In fact, according to the Social Media Examiner, “Increased exposure is the top benefit of social media marketing: A significant 89% of marketers stated that increased exposure was the number-one benefit of social media marketing.”
But what do you do to make your business stand out on social media when the market is flooded with competitors? One way that #thesavageway has found to aid in market differentiation is through Clean Graffiti.
Clean Graffiti is an eco-friendly and green form of advertising. These branded, positive messages are strategically placed on dirty sidewalks and a clean message remains. Not only is this an innovative and creative way to get a business’ marketing initiatives out to the public in a place that you typically would not be able to have a logo or message, but there is no use of any harmful chemicals or sprays – It is just water!
Charlotte companies have been using #thesavageway’s Clean Graffiti throughout the city to attract attention to their brands through natural, alternative media. Be it event driven (NODAWEEN), Running Routes (NODA BREWING RUN CLUB) or just Brand Awareness (ORTHOCAROLINA), Clean Graffiti has lead to an increased use on social media. By including the “@” sign or “#” in the body of the message, it signifies to the public to engage on social media.
Example posts from Instagram of Clean Graffiti in Charlotte.
Check out this piece in the Huffington Post about other industry leaders using Clean Graffiti to attract business.
In a constantly changing online world, it is important to remember full-circle marketing tactics and finding a way to reach your customers not only in traditional ways but through innovative means as well. Clean Graffiti is another way to capture the attention of your potential customer and #thesavageway is proud to offer this green advertising medium to the Charlotte market.
by thesavageway | Jan 16, 2014 | clean graffiti
This is Part Two in a Five part series diving into Clean Graffiti in the Queen City. Clean Graffiti is a service that #thesavageway offers; it is a unique, green form of advertising available since 2012. With several clients in the books, it is time to reflect on the practice. This piece is about the Eco-Friendly Aspect of Clean Graffiti.
“We’re going Green,” said every boss and every CEO across the nation in 2013. Environmentalism has become a hot topic for almost every business and industry (as it should) and Charlotte was no stranger to these initiatives.
The Charlotte Convention Center has an entire section dedicated to Green efforts within their facility. Members of several networking groups like the Charlotte Green Team and Green Drinks Charlotte meet every month to discuss how their respective businesses can become more eco-friendly. Needless-to-say, the Green movement is here to stay (Yay!)
Many companies are incorporating CSR or Corporate Social Responsibility into their business models in order to become a “Greener” business. What is CSR? Click here for more info. Methods include utilizing recyclable products, using renewable energy or simply educating customers on how to better reduce and reuse. However, there is also a need for eco-friendly advertising and marketing initiatives and that is where #thesavageway’s Clean Graffiti comes in.
Examples of other industry leaders utilizing Clean Graffiti.
Clean Graffiti is an eco-friendly and green form of advertising. These branded, positive messages are strategically placed on dirty sidewalks and a clean message remains.
There are many reasons for a company (large or small) to utilize Clean Graffiti. Not only is this an innovative and creative way to get your marketing initiatives out to the public in a place that you typically would not be able to have a message, but there is no use of any harmful chemicals or sprays – It’s Just Water!
#thesavageway is very good at analyzing a company’s need and translating that message into a creative branded message in strategic locations across the city. When a company chooses to use this sustainable form of marketing, they are able to brand themselves as an eco-friendly business that uses CSR practices.
#thesavageway examples of Clean Graffiti promoting Corporate Social Responsibility.
Charlotte has already seen an influx of eco-friendly initiatives and businesses and it is only going to increase as time goes on. Clean Graffiti is #thesavageway’s contribution to the Green Movement!
by thesavageway | Dec 9, 2013 | clean graffiti
This is Part 1 in a 5 Part Series diving into Clean Graffiti in the Queen City. Clean Graffiti is a service that #thesavageway has been honing in on for some time now. Months of research, technique testing and market research led to the clean advertising method that is now in practice across Charlotte. With several clients in the books, it is time to reflect on the practice. This piece is about the longevity of Clean Graffiti.
Back up to October 2012, a new local brewpub geared towards the foodie was slated to open in the Historic Arts District of NoDa : Heist Brewery . The Heist team had been working tirelessly to open their doors since 2011. #thesavageway was already contracted as the marketing team to help get the brewery off the ground, running its Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, PR and Media Relations. The buzz could be heard around the city and there was a certain energy in the air. When grand opening week FINALLY arrived, it seemed like a natural fit to incorporate this new idea of Clean Graffiti.
Clean Graffiti is an eco-friendly and green form of advertising. These branded, positive messages are strategically placed on dirty sidewalks and a clean message remains.
#thesavageway worked with Heist owner Kurt Hogan on where the placement of the messages would be; think directional signage leading to the new brewery, branded images throughout neighborhood streets and awareness in other neighborhoods.
Heist Brewery Clean Graffiti 2012
Heist Brewery Clean Graffiti 2013 (one year old)
Today is December 9, 2013. These messages were laid down over one year and 2 months ago. We will say that again – over 425 days ago! The longevity that these messages have is incredible. Not every spot will remain this long, average length is anywhere between 6 weeks and 8 months, it just depends on the environmental elements and foot traffic. From an advertising perspective, the average length of a newspaper ad or magazine ad is one week, one month at best. Clean Graffiti is an eco-friendly alternative that is clean, good for the environment and extremely cost effective in a conscientious way. It’s Just Water.
So as you are walking around the streets of NoDa this holiday season, keep an eye out for these Clean Graffiti messages – who knows, they may lead you to great beer!
