Design study, Public Safety
No-Wake Zones
A self-initiated design study: Get boaters to slow to no-wake speed near marinas, docks, and swimmers, with Harbor Patrol as a friendly reminder.
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
- Public Safety
- Audience
- Powerboat and personal watercraft operators who pass through the harbor's marked no-wake areas.
- Objective
- Get boaters to slow to no-wake speed near marinas, docks, and swimmers, with Harbor Patrol as a friendly reminder.
- When and where
- Every day on the water, Marinas, docks, and channels
Concept A: Wakes Land Somewhere 12
Shows what a wake does on the other end, a rocking paddleboarder or a slammed dock, so boaters feel the impact. Type style.
Concept B: Read the Buoy 12
Teaches the no-wake buoy and what it means, so operators recognize the zone before they reach it. Scene style.
Concept C: Patrol Would Rather Wave 12
Lets Harbor Patrol speak with a friendly wave instead of a ticket book, which earns more goodwill on the water. Grid style.
Spanish adaptation of Wakes Land Somewhere 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 5.19 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 | 5.19 to 1 |
| Flyer, letter | 11 | 13.5 | 5.19 to 1 |
| Social story, vertical | 13 | 13.0 | 5.19 to 1 |
| Retractable banner | 10 | 10.0 | 5.19 to 1 |
| Display ad, 160 by 600 | 10 | 10.0 | 5.19 to 1 |
| Social post, square | 13 | 13.2 | 5.19 to 1 |
| Display ad, 300 by 250 | 10 | 10.0 | 5.19 to 1 |
| Postcard, 6 by 4 inches | 13 | 13.2 | 5.19 to 1 |
| Event cover | 12 | 12.0 | 5.19 to 1 |
| Billboard | 12 | 12.0 | 5.19 to 1 |
| Email header | 11 | 11.0 | 5.19 to 1 |
| Display ad, 728 by 90 | 10 | 10.0 | 5.19 to 1 |