Shining a light on public safety
You ever think about street lighting? Neither did we until we were introduced to the Bureau of Street Lighting (BSL), which is part of the Los Angeles Department of Public Works. These folks are responsible for the design, construction, operation, maintenance, and repair of street lighting throughout the city. And they’re playing a critical role in ensuring the streets of Los Angeles are safely and adequately illuminated for vehicles and pedestrians. We set out to make others aware and created this campaign. Though it never officially launched, it’s pretty lit. Take a look.
1 — The Challenge
A streetlight is more than a streetlight
There are 223,000 streetlights in Los Angeles that, when properly maintained, contribute to public safety, economic growth, and environmental protection. In reality, however, assessments to fund the care of LA’s streetlights have not been updated in nearly 20 years. Our mission was to help Angelenos understand how streetlights affect them in unexpected ways, while also humanizing the people behind the streetlight’s power.
2 — The Brand
Of night and light
Much like the lights that line LA streets, we needed a brand that was equal parts utilitarian and beautiful. We created a logo and graphic system that is bold, recognizable, and trustworthy while maintaining the simplicity of a timeless utility brand. Paired with a color story that draws from waxing and waning sunlight, we created a brand that feels wholly Los Angeles.
The logo — Our logo draws from classic utility brands with a bold and timeless representation of a streetlight. We created variations that are legible at all sizes.
Gradients — Throughout the branding we utilize two gradients that help highlight the liminal space between dark and light.
Graphic elements — Radial patterns play a large role in drawing emphasis, creating motion, and highlighting the power of streetlights.
3 — The Campaign
An illuminating approach
In order to bolster positive sentiment toward the Bureau of Street Lighting and streetlights in general, we created a campaign focused on accessibility, positivity, and seriousness, but with a playful twist. Balancing factual statistics with a sense of humor and humanity, we were able to highlight the oft-overlooked benefits of keeping a community’s lights on.
Social ad campaign — Our educational campaign strategy balanced straight-forward marketing with real, human storytelling, and impressive statistics—all delivered with a playful, confident tone.
Display ads — We kept our messaging succinct and consistent across all channels, focusing primarily on public safety benefits and pulling back the curtain of the Bureau of Street Lighting.
Streetlight banners — What better place to highlight the greatest impacts of streetlights than on the poles themselves?
Out-of-Home — We strategically created assets that would allow us to feature the benefits of streetlights in the place that they are most felt—the streets.
4 — The Impact
Bright ideas pay off
In addition to public safety, the benefits of properly maintained streetlights include improved property values, increased economic and social activity, and a breakdown of the digital access and environmental justice divide across Los Angeles communities. Our hope is that property owners across the city recognize the profound impact of streetlights and their role in maintaining them. Shine on, LA.