"Being Kind is a Breeze: Chalk The Stops" Kindness Campaign


Target Audience: The "Being Kind is a Breeze: Chalk-the-Stops" kindness campaign was targeted at trolley passengers, public transit riders, social media followers, community stakeholders, resort visitors and guests, area retailers and restaurants, and elected and appointed officials in and around the Town of Hilton Head Island, SC. As a kindness and courtesy campaign during times of social distancing and high tension in the summer of 2020, the primary goal was to spread our kindness messages to as many people as we could (at least until the rain washed away the chalk sentiments at each of our stops).

Strategy Objective:Our objective was to participate in the community-wide event by chalking messages of kindness at all of the Breeze Trolley stops on Hilton Head Island and two Palmetto Breeze Transit commuter bus stops, including our transfer center in Bluffton, SC. Each stop's artwork would include the appropriate brand for the respective service as well as kindness messages meant to inspire passersby, passengers, and others to be kind to each other and to treat each other with mutual respect. To maintain brand integrity, we used stencils for our logos, but all other messaging was done freehand by our team.

Situation Challenge: The COVID-19 pandemic and tensions across America in the summer of 2020 called for communities across the country to come together, listen, learn and be kind to each other. Like every community, the Hilton Head Island and Lowcountry region of South Carolina was overcoming obstacles that before 2020 could hardly have been fathomed. Social distancing complicated our lives, but one way many communities were coming together to overcome these challenges was to encourage positive statements and artwork using chalk along driveways, sidewalks, and pathways. When the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce announced its Chalk the Walk day in August, we knew that our client, the Lowcountry Regional Transportation Authority and The Breeze Trolley needed to participate in our own unique way!

Results Impact: Our campaign was received well by our followers (primarily Facebook and Instagram) with thousands of impressions and multiple shares the day of the campaign and in the days that followed, as well as an increase in followers for both of the brands. Most importantly, our campaign inspired kindness and tolerance. The social media commentary showed that our unique approach to the community-wide campaign caught the attention of our passengers and stakeholders. Local business leaders and officials took note, expressing their appreciation for our full participation in the campaign. In fact, before we could complete our chalk work at all of our stops, a local family saw what we were doing (on a steamy August afternoon in SC) and delivered ice cold water to our team - an immediate act of kindness.

Why Submit: This past year, we have all learned a great deal about ourselves - how we persevere, how we overcome unforeseen obstacles, and how we work with each other to make the world a brighter place, when there isn't a lot of light shining through. This campaign worked to remind our passengers and stakeholders that kindness really is a "breeze." Being courteous, considerate, and tolerant of others' opinions and needs isn't difficult. Sometimes, we just need a subtle reminder, like some chalk art along our path. So, if we inspired even just a handful of people to show kindness, to truly pass it on, then this campaign was worth the effort and is deserving of AdWheel recognition.