Have you ever felt a blast of cold water when you turn on a shower? Do you recall gasping at the shock? That's a similar reaction that people have after falling off a dock or from a boat into cold water. It's that same gasp that can fill you lungs with enough water to put you in a panic and in serious danger. Even though the air is warm, our Canadian water stays cold almost year-round.
The Lifesaving Society challenged me to develop a poster that would instantly alert Canadians to the dangers of being on the water without wearing a life jacket.
Taking a cue from Jaws, we went with our natural fear of the unknown and personified the pull of the water while someone struggles to stay afloat.
This was a bit of a challenge to make happen. We had a helper from the Lifesaving Society get into a pool designed to train people for deep scuba dives while Jim Kozmik, our underwater photographer took his picture. Meanwhile, I stood at the edge of the watery abyss shouting directions to them both. I then sent the pictures to my buddy Trevor Nelson at Three in a Box to create the hand of Poseidon and to paint out any signs of the pool.
Everyone did a fantastic job and the poster was well received by the public. Hopefully it was enough to change people's behaviour and save some lives.
Client: Lifesaving Society
Objective: Create a poster that will encourage adult Canadians to wear a life jacket when on the water.
Target: Adult Canadians from coast to coast
Media: Mall and community posters
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