by thesavageway | Jul 24, 2023 | clean graffiti
We love all of the creative uses of Clean Graffiti that we can offer our clients. From general brand awareness campaigns to feel-good inspirational messages on the sidewalk, the possibilities are vast with this medium. We wanted to showcase a few of our favorite creative uses from over the years. Maybe this will inspire your next campaign with us.
For those that don’t know, Clean Graffiti is an advertising and messaging medium that The Savage Way has been offering for over 10 years now. We’ve been in 70+ markets across America and we continue to be the leaders in the U.S. in this space. Also known as Reverse Graffiti, Clean Graffiti is created using a stencil, pressure washer and naturally dirty sidewalks. We use high-pressure water to clean a message onto the sidewalk. We are not painting, spraying any chemicals or altering the integrity of the sidewalk in any way. It’s just water. š Check out some frequently asked questions here.
Now on to the creative uses of Clean Graffiti that we have loved over the years.
Tend Dentistry: New York City: The folks at Tend Dentistry in the Flatiron District in Manhattan came to us with this cheeky play-on-words that we could make into Clean Graffiti. The fact that we are both just cleaning away dirt (aka plaque) was just perfect. Love when brands can get playful and fun with their advertising.
OrthoCarolina: Multi-cities in North Carolina: OrthoCarolina had been a client of ours for a while and we had done tons of branding campaigns together (check out past project blogs for more details).Ā However, as a group of private orthopedic surgeons who specialize in fixing broken bones, we thought of this clever “Watch Your Step” Clean Graffiti campaign. The idea was while we were out executing campaigns and we saw dangerous, broken sidewalks, we would put down this safety message for pedestrians or cyclists brought to you by OrthoCarolina. Just a subtle reminder that *if* you did need a bone specialist, you would know who to call.
(Left) Greenpeace #IStand4Solar in Charlotte, NC: The global non-profit, Greenpeace, asked us to create an impactful Clean Graffiti campaign for the Charlotte market. We wanted to do something that was not only a directive (stand here and notice) but told the passerby to use on social media (using the #). We saw great interaction with the Clean Graffiti which led users to learn more about the Greenpeace mission – to use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.
(Right): NC Department of Transportation, Watch For Me Campaign in small beach towns in NC: This was a campaign that we ran for several years that focused on pedestrian and cyclist safety, Watch For Me NC. We put these down across coastal beach towns that saw a huge influx of tourists in the summer months. The NCDOT gave us specific data that pinpointed where vehicles crashed with pedestrians that either ended in an accident or fatality. There are such limited advertising opportunities in these small, rural towns, so Clean Graffiti was not only a viable option, but it was welcomed as an opportunity to actually make meaningful communication with the community.
(Left) Not Just Coffee, Charlotte, NC: Not Just Coffee is a locally-owned coffee shop that came up the same time that The Savage Way did. We are friends with the owners and we pitched them the idea of Clean Graffiti with a play-on-words with their name. We know that everyone LOVES coffee and social media posts with anything coffee related always got great engagement, but NJC was so invested in the community that they were more than just a place to grab coffee. We came up with “Love People, Not Just Coffee.” Genius. We partnered with local artist, Matt Hooker, to help with the creative and this beautiful message was born!
(Right): #ExploreYour704 NoDa Brewing, OrthoCarolina in Charlotte, NC: #ExploreYour704 was an intricate idea that we came up with that included a Clean Graffiti “Scavenger Hunt,” huge mural on the side of a brewery, multiple vendors and a big launch party that encouraged walking. To say this was an unusual case study is an understatement. In fact, doing a Clean Graffiti scavenger hunt is not something we even offer, but we are obsessed with how we used dirty sidewalks to create a movement game, celebrate the city we live in and bring awareness to our clients at the same time. Read more about it in the blog.
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So that’s a quick snapshot of some of the creative uses of Clean Graffiti over the years. Check out our instagram for more examples. We look forward to creating more marketing magic using our eco-friendly advertising alternative.
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 āReverse Graffiti,ā 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 ā the sidewalk. And best of all, itās just water ā 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.
Itās 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. š
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 canāt 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 | 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 PanthersĀ 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 | Mar 20, 2018 | clean graffiti
Clean Graffiti for Piedmont Opera, Pirates of Penzance showing in Winston-Salem, NC
We had the honor of creating some Clean Graffiti for Piedmont Opera in Winston-Salem, NC. The reverse graffiti was used to help promote an upcoming show, the Pirates of Penzance. The show is running this Friday, March 23 at 8pm, Sunday, March 25 at 2pm, and Tuesday, March 27 at 7:30pm atĀ The Stevens Center of the UNCSA (405 4th St NW Winston-Salem, NC 27101). Tickets & additional information can be found here.
Our Clean Graffiti was used as an alternative to other outdoor advertising options. It’s different, eye-catching and co-friendly. We use a specialized stencil & high-pressure water to make a contrast in the dirt. The message that is left behind is not only highly-targeted, but it is a beautiful contrast in mother nature.
Winston-Salem, NC saw some fresh Clean Graffiti for Piedmont Opera, Pirates of Penzance.
Piedmont Opera uses Clean Graffiti to promote an upcoming show. #thesavageway
Tickets for the show are still on sale. Check out Pirates of Penzance at the Piedmont Opera this weekend.
We love the city of Winston-Salem and have had the privilege of doing some great Clean Graffiti projects there;Ā The OrthoCarolina Free WorkoutĀ andĀ mammogram reminders for Novant HealthĀ to name a few. This Piedmont Opera job allowed us to promote the arts (and we absolutely love that!). If you go see the show this weekend, keep an eye out for our Clean Graffiti skull & crossbones around town.
