Guerrilla marketing techniques have been around for years, but they've also acquired a bad rep for sometimes defacing public property; city officials tend not to look too kindly on adverts scrawled in spray paint on city pavement, for example. Now Street Advertising Services is offering a less antagonizing—and more legal—solution by creating images out of water.
The British company's Street Art service uses high-pressure cleaning machines to wash brands, logos and adverts onto dirty pavements. First, clients provide their design, and SAS turns it into a giant stencil. Then, working at night, the SAS team blasts the stencil with water and steam on dirty walls, roads, pavements or even road signs. The result is a sparkling clean image in the shape of the company's logo or message. Nothing but water and steam are used, and it's all perfectly environmentally friendly and legal, SAS stresses. Pricing for a street art campaign with 15 to 20 adverts throughout a city begins at GBP 1,000 per city plus initial setup costs. Clients so far have ranged from newly opened businesses to global brands.
The idea for the service, which launched last year, came to founder Kristian Jeffrey out of sheer frustration. Jeffrey explains: "I run several small online businesses, and was searching for cost-effective advertising to attract consumers to my sites. My potential customers were walking around me every day, and it was when I was walking through the dirty streets of London that the idea came to me: why not take advertising literally to the street? Having experimented with several different methods, we wanted to apply a technique that was not just eye-catching and effective but also friendly to the environment. What could be more natural than water?"
SAS has operated primarily in the UK so far, but it's open to projects anywhere in the world (as long as there's dirty pavement!). The company is also keen to explore reciprocal arrangements with other entrepreneurial enterprises, Jeffrey says. One to get in on while it's still early? So much dirty pavement, so little time....
Website: www.streetadvertisingservices.com
Contact: mail@streetadvertisingservices.com
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They might have a problem if there's a drought next year as they might not be able to use their hose.
Hey guys! take a look ins this link http://www.flickr.com/photos/artetude/
Here in São Paulo we are not aloud to do outdoor communication. Some people are using this fact to do art and social critict in the public outdoor space. Take a look at the link!
hugs!
Pablo
SORRY GUYS! THIS WAS MADE ILLEGAL OVER 5 YEARS AGO!
Maybe it doesn't work in Singapore...
The U.S. and many other places, has allready made this kind of streetart illegal.
So, sorry...
But yes, it is a fun way of advertising, and i agree that it is way better then with spray-cans and such.
I was just wondering what specific kind of machines they use?and where you can get these in Africa.I was thinking of starting such a concept in africa..
I imagine they use sophisticated machinery like a Karcher Power Cleaner on a 24v direct battery supply. They probably use grey water from the bath, so they can claim a nice bit of greenwash.
This idea is environmentally UNfriendly. The lack of water is a real menace.
Thanks for all your comments about the article. Just to let you know, utilising the processes we employ, street art advertising is not illegal.let me know if you'd like more information on our services, regards, SAS
This is such bullsh*t. How dare companies like this think that just because a space is blank, they can fill it with an advertising message. What's the difference between this and me going to their houses and grafitting their walls? (oh, but don't worry - I'll use an environmentally friendly method and it'll wash off in six months.
Stop hating. I think it is a good idea. would u prefer dirt to art? At least it gets people thinking....
@Fidelis - I'm not hating, I'm trying to stop 'guerilla marketers' from thinking they have the right to brand a marketing message anywhere they want. And since when did an advertising billboard become art - give me a break.
Similar works done by some streetart guys before...
http://www.google.com/search?complete=1&hl=en&q=reverse+graffiti&btnG=Google+Search&aq=t&oq=reverse+graf
Max | October 24, 2007 11:37 PM