ACC Snow Safety Campaign

It’s that time of year when snowboarders and skiers of all talent levels descend on the snowfields. That whiff of crystal clear air to the head can create a rush of adrenaline that turns a blue run beginner into a black run bull, creating a snow-covered danger zone ripe for broken wrists and head-on collisions.

Illustrator Blair Sayer was approached by Ocean Design’s Matt Bluett to create imagery for a campaign for the New Zealand Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC). The campaign was designed to educate people about snow safety in a bid to reduce the number of accidents.

"We didn’t want our messaging to disappear amongst all the other advertising fighting for their attention." says Matt, "We thought that if the design was on the same buzz as our audience, chances are we’d get their attention. Straight away we thought of Blair. He’s got such a great style."

The fun brief needed a kicker illustration style and Matt referenced Blair's Mambo Monkey See Monkey Do image, with it's fun, semi-natural feel and a limited palette, as perfect for the job.

"I'm a big fan of the Yeti,” confides Blair. “I feel they are misunderstood and probably more up for a chat than folks think. I really wanted to show their hidden confidence and underrated intelligence. If the Yeti has brains enough to wear a lid and wrist guards, why can't their less-hairy cousins do so also?"

Blair shredded through the sketches in no time, creating a series of poster images that speak directly to the target market, imparting a serious message through a humorous lens. 

Matt adds, "It’s the kinda of thing you not only appreciate seeing out on the slopes, but would quite happily put up on your own wall."

Yeti-again, another win for ACC, Ocean and Blair