Sightwalks on Sidewalks: Find out how this brand made life easier for visually impaired Peruvians!
| From the desk of Miles Everson: Hi! I’m thrilled to share yet another marketing insight in today’s edition of “Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing!” For those of you who may not know, guerrilla marketing is an out-of-the-box strategy that encourages marketers to utilize unconventional strategies when engaging with their target audience. I’m a huge fan of this strategy because it shows just how effective out-of-the-box campaigns can be. For today’s case study, I’ll be highlighting a campaign that garnered positive attention by making life easier for visually impaired Peruvians. Curious? Continue reading below! |
Sightwalks on Sidewalks: Find out how this brand made life easier for visually impaired Peruvians! A staggering 2 billion people worldwide live with some form of visual impairment. In Peru alone, that number is close to 5 million. Unfortunately, while visual impairment is one of the most prevalent disabilities in Peruvian society, urban development and planning wasn’t designed around the inclusion of the visually impaired. That is, until Cemento Sol, a leading cement brand in Peru took it upon itself to change this in 2023! How? By building so-called “sightwalks” for visually impaired Peruvians!
A Tactile Guide for the Visually Impaired In Peru, most of the visually impaired have to rely on constant assistance just to get from one point to another or access basic services and establishments. While getting assistance from others is a good thing, nothing beats a city that has infrastructure that’s actually inclusive to the physically impaired. That said, how did Cemento Sol’s “sightwalks” figure into this? Cemento Sol’s solution for navigation leveraged tactile paving, which was commonly used in roadside designs. Tactile paving was first introduced in Japan and used to assist visually impaired pedestrians. Since its introduction in 1967, the use of tactile paving has spread around the globe. Cemento Sol built upon this innovation with its own twist, together with the help of creative agency Circus Grey Peru and various associations catering to visually impaired Peruvians. Under this system, the ceramic tiles contained vertical lines to help the visually impaired identify and locate essential services or establishments that were within their immediate vicinity. The lines and the corresponding venues were as follows:
Engineers and designers took nearly two years to create the “sightwalks.” Throughout the design, implementation, and testing stages, Cemento Sol ensured that representatives from organizations for the visually impaired participated. Visually impaired Peruvians were also invited to participate in training sessions for the “sightwalks.” These sessions taught participants about the signaling system built into these pavements. What’s more? Cemento Sol kept “sightwalks” copyright free to make sure the principles behind these custom sidewalk tiles could reach and benefit as many people as possible, regardless of where they are across the globe. This brings us to the most important question: Was this campaign a success? YES! The “sightwalks” tiles were implemented in Lima, Peru’s Miraflores district, covering over 75,000 square meters and benefitting over 500,000 people. Aside from this, “sightwalks” gained attention and even won awards from prestigious creative awards-giving bodies like D&AD, Clio Awards, and prestigious publications like Fast Company. — Cemento Sol’s successful “sightwalks” initiative serves as a reminder that guerrilla marketing campaigns aren’t just useful for generating positive brand recognition; they can also serve as impactful campaigns that benefit the public. By building inclusive infrastructure and making it copyright free, Cemento Sol not only did favors for its brand but also for visually impaired Peruvians and others across the globe. So, the next time you embark on a guerrilla marketing campaign of your own, ask yourself whether the campaign you’re cooking up benefits the public. If it does, not only will you generate positive buzz, but you’ll also leave a good and lasting impression! Remember : The best campaigns are built on leaving a lasting impact… and what better way to achieve that than by doing something that benefits others? Hope you’ve found this week’s guerrilla marketing insight interesting and helpful. Stay tuned for next Thursday’s Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing! Do you want to know how one campaign rewired what winning in the gaming industry truly means? See it in next week’s article! |
Miles Everson
CEO of MBO Partners and former Global Advisory and Consulting CEO at PwC, Everson has worked with many of the world's largest and most prominent organizations, specializing in executive management. He helps companies balance growth, reduce risk, maximize return, and excel in strategic business priorities.
He is a sought-after public speaker and contributor and has been a case study for success from Harvard Business School.
Everson is a Certified Public Accountant, a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants. He graduated from St. Cloud State University with a B.S. in Accounting.
