ALLEY RATZ
Campaign Concept Development · Brand Identity · Experiential Activation · Art Direction
The Why.
Alley Ratz was created to challenge the way graffiti is often perceived — as rebellious, Vandalism, or confined to political expression — and explore it as a legitimate visual language within graphic design and marketing
The concept was about untethering graffiti from its physical and cultural associations with “the alley” without stripping away what makes it distinct: its rawness, grit, imperfection, and unapologetic attitude.
Even the name plays into this idea. The rat became the campaign mascot, drawing from the scrappy, grimy character of the alley and turning something typically associated with dirt and neglect into a symbol for the campaign. Rather than hiding those associations, we brought them to the forefront and made them part of the identity.
Alley Ratz became a campaign and live activation designed to give graffiti a stronger presence within the world of graphic design while inviting people to interact with it.
The idea wasn't to take graffiti out of the alley. It was to expand what could exist beyond it..
ROLE
Concept Development · Art Direction · Campaign Strategy · Content · Web
Developed the core campaign concept and activation strategy, created the Instagram content, and built the project website. Collaborated with the team across branding, design, and event execution.
CONCEPT
I developed the initial concept and creative direction for Alley Ratz, establishing the campaign's visual and conceptual foundation.
The identity was designed to feel raw, playful, and disruptive, reflecting the qualities we wanted to preserve from graffiti while presenting it within a more intentional design system.
I created the original logo direction, which was then used by the designer on our team as inspiration for the final logo.
The visual language extended beyond the identity itself into stencils, physical objects, social media, and the eventual alley display, allowing the campaign to feel like one connected experience.
PROCESS + PROBLEM SOLVING
The challenge was figuring out how to communicate an idea about graffiti without simply talking about graffiti.
We wanted people to encounter the campaign, interact with it, and become curious about what was coming next.
That led to the Rat Hunt ; a pre-event activation designed to build awareness for the main alley display. We created and placed branded rats around the TMU campus, each carrying the Alley Ratz Instagram handle.
People were encouraged to find a rat, photograph themselves with it, post it to Instagram, and tag the campaign.
Running the activation one week before the main display turned the campaign into something people could discover and participate in, rather than simply see.
The Rat Hunt ;
The activation acted as the first physical touchpoint of the campaign, generating curiosity and social interaction ahead of the main alley display.
As the activation brought more attention to our page, we increased our posting frequency to build on that momentum. A series of carousel posts introduced the campaign's message, challenged existing perceptions of graffiti, and teased the upcoming alley display.
By connecting a physical scavenger hunt with a digital content rollout, we turned initial curiosity into an opportunity to communicate the campaign's purpose and build anticipation for the main event.
A broader campaign that would bring the concept back to its roots through the physical graffiti display.
The Activation
Rooted in the alley. Designed to move beyond it.
The final activation took place in an alley, deliberately returning the campaign to the environment that inspired it.
Rather than creating a permanent installation, we introduced movable surfaces that participants could stencil, transforming the display into a collective artwork that could later be removed and exhibited in our final presentation.
The experience also extended beyond the installation itself. Through our website and promotional content, we invited attendees to bring their own shirts, which they could customize using the Alley Ratz stencils.
These shirts became both personal keepsakes and wearable extensions of the campaign, allowing participants to carry the message beyond the event and into everyday spaces.
The result was an experience that didn't end in the alley. The artwork could travel, the audience became part of its creation, and the campaign continued through the objects people took home.
TAKEAWAY
Graffiti doesn't have to lose its rawness to be recognized as a legitimate creative medium.
What began as a university project and presentation became an opportunity to explore how far an idea could go when given the attention and effort it deserved.
Alley Ratz taught me how a concept could evolve into a brand, campaign, and physical experience, and how inviting people to participate could make the message more meaningful than simply presenting it.
Ultimately, the goal wasn't just to change how people saw graffiti, but to spark enough curiosity for them to explore its creative potential beyond the alley.
