Promoting safety & conservation for NYC’s beach
Established in 2019, “Respect Rockaway” is a PSA initiative by the Surfrider Foundation NYC Chapter to heighten awareness for ocean conservation and promote beach and water safety for residents and visitors of the Rockaway beaches in New York City. The campaign, partially funded by the Patagonia Environmental Grant, is rolled out every summer in anticipation of the 4th of July holiday, which sees upwards of 200,000 beachgoers visiting the city’s summer hotspot in a single weekend.
From surf to shore and the surrounding community
Bus shelter on Rockaway Beach Blvd.
Partnership
As a studio, our collective love for the Rockaway beaches and a desire to engage in their preservation led us to seek out local organizations working in the field. We caught a wave of good fortune when we connected with the Surfrider NYC’s Chairwoman, Nikita Scott, after a meetup at the Patagonia Bowery store. The beginnings of a partnership quickly took root around developing a campaign that could unite Surfrider’s robust grassroots activist network and the local Rockaway community.
Selman surf trip to Rockaway
Credits
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Process
Our challenge was to create messaging that would resonate with Rockaway locals and leave an immediate impression on visitors. We landed on a system that was welcoming, informative, and full of colorful Rockaway attitude. The expressive rippling type connects the aesthetic to the water and imparts a sense that the actions we take have consequences for the region’s entire ecosystem.
Physical studies in water movement and light reflection
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Outcome
An overwhelmingly positive reception from the community with support from local business owners has helped the campaign continually grow and has contributed to a significant increase in volunteers for beach cleanups and outreach. The second year of the campaign introduced a partnership with Jamaica Bay Rockaway Parks Conservancy and expanded messaging to increase pandemic-related park traffic.
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Weekly OOH Impressions
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Volunteer Engagements
Banner at the Beach 97th St—one of Rockaway’s busiest entrances
Bus shelter at Jacob Riis
Bus shelter at Geoff Rawling’s iconic mural
Banner on the boardwalk
Banner at the foot of the Rockaway ferry landing
Credits
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A series of digital banners on the NYC Ferry
Vertical banners on the NYC Ferry
At Rockaway Brewing Co.
At Station RBNY
At Rockaway Beach Surf Club
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Additional ferry messaging
Selman’s efforts enabled us to share our message with the Rockaway community and build lasting connections that bolster the work we do. Not only do they provide the creative, they go above and beyond by providing consultation and guidance which showed us how much they truly value their clients.”
Respect to all those turning the campaign into action
Selman Team
Adam Ames
Anne Di Lillo
Christopher Schroeder
Connor Linde
Drew Park
John Paul Chirdon
Johnny Selman
Jordan Tran
Nicole Motta
Surfrider Team
Nikita Scott
Saylor Pochan
JBRPC Team
Shanna Blanchard