Design study, Environment
Bay Water Check
A self-initiated design study: Teach beachgoers to check posted water quality results before swimming, especially after rain.
These are self-initiated studies, not client work. Each is a fictional campaign; none was commissioned by, produced for, or approved by any agency or organization.
The brief
- Line of business
- Environment
- Audience
- Swimmers, surfers, and parents who wonder whether the water is safe on a given day.
- Objective
- Teach beachgoers to check posted water quality results before swimming, especially after rain.
- When and where
- Updated weekly, all year, Posted at beach entrances
Concept A: Peace of Mind 12
Speaks to parents who want peace of mind before kids jump in, making a quick check part of the routine. Type style.
Concept B: The Rain Rule 12
Teaches one easy habit, stay out after a rain, because runoff carries bacteria into the bay. Scene style.
Concept C: Stoplight Signs 12
Compares the posted green, yellow, and red signs to a traffic light every kid can already read. Grid style.
Spanish adaptation of Peace of Mind 12
The first direction adapted rather than translated: the headline, supporting line, and call to action rewritten in Spanish, with the layout reflowed for the longer text. Type style.
What was checked
Every one of the 48 pieces was checked as it was composed. The lowest text contrast measured anywhere in this study is 5.08 to 1, against a minimum of 4.5 to 1. Type sizes are in the units of each format: pixels for digital formats, and for print, units of the drawing at the sizes shown.
| Format | Minimum type size | Smallest set | Lowest contrast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poster, 18 by 24 inches | 11 | 13.2 | 5.08 to 1 |
| Flyer, letter | 11 | 13.5 | 5.08 to 1 |
| Social story, vertical | 13 | 13.0 | 5.08 to 1 |
| Retractable banner | 10 | 10.0 | 5.08 to 1 |
| Display ad, 160 by 600 | 10 | 10.0 | 5.08 to 1 |
| Social post, square | 13 | 13.2 | 5.08 to 1 |
| Display ad, 300 by 250 | 10 | 10.0 | 5.08 to 1 |
| Postcard, 6 by 4 inches | 13 | 13.2 | 5.08 to 1 |
| Event cover | 12 | 12.0 | 5.08 to 1 |
| Billboard | 12 | 12.0 | 5.08 to 1 |
| Email header | 11 | 11.0 | 5.08 to 1 |
| Display ad, 728 by 90 | 10 | 10.0 | 5.08 to 1 |