Design study, Maritime
Ramp Ready
A self-initiated design study: Shorten launch ramp lines by getting boaters to prep in the staging lane before they back down the ramp.
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
- Maritime
- Audience
- Trailer boaters who launch at public ramps on busy summer weekends.
- Objective
- Shorten launch ramp lines by getting boaters to prep in the staging lane before they back down the ramp.
- When and where
- All summer, every weekend, At every public launch ramp
Concept A: Good Ramp Neighbor 12
Frames ramp courtesy as looking out for the family waiting behind you, which lands better than rules on a sign. Type style.
Concept B: Staging Lane Checklist 12
A short checklist boaters can picture in order: plug in, straps off, lines ready, then back down. Scene style.
Concept C: Ramp Showtime 12
Gently teases the ramp's built-in audience, everyone watching from the dock, to motivate a smooth launch. Grid style.
Spanish adaptation of Good Ramp Neighbor 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 5.04 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 | 5.04 to 1 |
| Flyer, letter | 11 | 13.5 | 5.04 to 1 |
| Social story, vertical | 13 | 13.0 | 5.04 to 1 |
| Retractable banner | 10 | 10.0 | 5.04 to 1 |
| Display ad, 160 by 600 | 10 | 10.0 | 5.04 to 1 |
| Social post, square | 13 | 13.2 | 5.04 to 1 |
| Display ad, 300 by 250 | 10 | 10.0 | 5.04 to 1 |
| Postcard, 6 by 4 inches | 13 | 13.2 | 5.04 to 1 |
| Event cover | 12 | 12.0 | 5.04 to 1 |
| Billboard | 12 | 12.0 | 5.04 to 1 |
| Email header | 11 | 11.0 | 5.04 to 1 |
| Display ad, 728 by 90 | 10 | 10.0 | 5.04 to 1 |