Chalk your logo across SF at night

What's the play

Grab boxes of sidewalk chalk and draw your logo and name across high traffic parts of the city at night. It costs almost nothing and treats the sidewalk as free ad space.

What was the alternative?

Pay for a digital ad campaign or a printed poster run.

Results / what moved

Kapwing's chalk drawings washed off within a day in the busiest spots like the Embarcadero and Market Street, while the ones in quieter neighborhoods like South Park and Potrero Hill lasted longer.

Cost breakdown

A few boxes of sidewalk chalk

Time to pull off

One late night

Steps

1. 1

   Buy chalk in bulk

   Grab several boxes of sidewalk chalk. This is the whole budget.

2. 2

   Scout your spots

   Pick a mix of high traffic streets and quieter neighborhoods so at least some drawings survive.

3. 3

   Draw late at night

   Go after a late evening or launch party when sidewalks are clear and no one interrupts.

4. 4

   Photograph before it fades

   Shoot the drawings right away, since the chalk in busy areas can be gone by morning.

Notes

Chalk in the busiest areas gets washed off fast, so put your best work where foot traffic is steady but cleaning is rare. Go late at night to avoid interruptions, and keep the drawing simple enough to redo quickly.