BEST ONE-OFF
Credit: Sam Creek (Strategy), Sam Jorgensen (Content Creation), Roscoe McGee & Alex McBride (Art Direction), Kylee Hazard (Copy)
The Problem: In a world of digital mail, the USPS is quickly losing relevance. Younger generations perceive the "snail mail service" as outdated and unnecessary.
Consumer Insight: Members of the target market (Nonconformist Millennials) have opinions and "truths" that they long to share with the world. They want to speak up and speak out but often lack the platform to do so.
Big Idea: The USPS doesn't send mail, it sends messages. We want to show how the USPS can be the vehicle through which members of the target market can express themselves.
THE LINE: Send a Message.
How Does It Live?
Though our Big Idea could be translated into several mediums, for this "one-off" campaign we decided to focus on a unique form of advertising: street art. In this concept, the USPS would construct and/or purchase several blank walls in cities across the nation. These walls would then be dedicated to street art, providing the community with a canvas and an opportunity to "send a message" to passersby.
Below is a mock "case study video" of what this campaign would look like if brought to life.
tv spot
For this project, I was in charge of all headlines, taglines, and the copy for the mock social media posts. I also wrote the script that was used for the case study video.
USPS
“Send a Message”
Case Study Script
SFX: Rebellious music under and throughout.
Voiceover is done by a man in his thirties with a laid back, gravely voice. His "stick it to the man" personality shines through in the way that he speaks.
VO: Since the early 1960’s, graffiti, in all its forms, has been an attempt to send the public a message.
Images of early graffiti.
VO: A tag says, “I was here,” or “I am important,” or “Look at me.”
Images of tags and people tagging with spray paint.
VO: A throwie shouts, “This is who I am,” or “You can’t stop me.”
Images of creative throwies followed by throwies on trains or in public spaces.
VO: A piece demands, “Stop, look, and listen.”
Images of beautiful, inspirational pieces like the George Floyd tribute followed by other thought-provoking images.
VO: For years, the USPS played a passive role in the graffiti community.
Images of the USPS and USPS labels.
VO: We stood by silently as our priority mail label was embraced by graffiti artists across the nation...
Images of the priority mail labels by Juan Muniz and other street art with USPS materials.
VO: ...and failed to move when those same artists were punished for their creations.
Images of graffiti artists being arrested. A screenshot that shows the law against using priority mail labels for street art.
VO: Graffiti is illegal…
“Graffiti is illegal” appears on a black screen in big letters.
VO: And yet, the USPS has watched as graffiti has been used to promote change, stimulate conversation, and speak out against social injustice.
More images of intricate, inspirational street art from various artists.
VO: So, in August of 2020, we chose to act. In cities across the country, we constructed towering white walls- providing graffiti artists with a legal canvas for their work.
Images of the "Send a Message" walls before and after they were decorated by street artists. Images of street artists painting on the walls.
VO: ...And the results? Well, they speak for themselves..
Images of mock social media posts that include participants taking selfies with the walls.
VO: Have something to say? Find a USPS wall near you. After all, the USPS doesn’t just send mail- we send messages.
The tagline scrawls itself across the screen on the end card of the video.
SFX: The rattle and spray of a spray paint can.
SUPER: USPS “Send a message"