For nearly 150 years, the Legal Aid Society has fought for racial justice in courts and communities, representing children and youth in family court, providing appellate and educational advocacy, assisting with divorce and domestic violence cases, and pursuing system-wide reform. One principle guides it all: no person should be denied the right to equal justice.
Yet in many of New York’s most vulnerable neighborhoods, residents still don’t know where to turn beyond 911 to feel safe and supported. As America’s largest social justice law firm, The Legal Aid Society partnered with Kettle to take its mission further with a bold goal: make justice accessible and actionable in every borough, and in doing so, shift the vision of safety from policing to community support.
The challenge was clear: cut through NYC's noise to connect people with resources that could change and even save lives. The result: Do NYC Justice, a public awareness campaign created for under-resourced Black and Latinx communities, grounded in expanding access to existing services, creating new community investments, and knocking down the barriers that keep too many New Yorkers from the justice they deserve.
The vision for Do NYC Justice was ambitious: deliver a highly targeted, culturally resonant campaign that would not just raise awareness but actively connect under-resourced New Yorkers with real, life-changing services.
Step 1: Precision Targeting Through Data
Our first move was to locate the neighborhoods where the need was highest. We analyzed NYPD arrest data to identify the city's most overpoliced ZIP codes; historically, areas that are also among the most under-resourced. We then cross-referenced these locations with The Legal Aid Society’s existing service sites to ensure we placed help where it would have the greatest impact.
Step 2: Creative That Cuts Through the Noise
New York is one of the most saturated ad markets in the world and standing out is a challenge in itself. We evolved The Legal Aid Society’s visual identity into something bold and unmissable: oversized, sans-serif typography in a signature neon green, paired with striking, human-centered imagery. Every design decision was made to grab attention instantly: on the street, in the subway, or from across a crowded platform.
Step 3: A 360° Campaign
We knew we had to meet people everywhere they already were. The rollout spanned:
Step 4: Direct Path to Help
Every placement featured a QR code linking to a centralized, mobile-friendly resource hub. This directory offered information on housing rights, mental health services, employment assistance, violence prevention, and more. We also amplified trusted citywide services, including 311, 988 Mental Health Crisis Intervention, 100 Suits for 100 Men, and Save Our Streets (S.O.S.).
The biggest challenges were twofold: cutting through the city’s visual clutter and building trust in communities where skepticism toward institutions is often high. We overcame the first with striking, consistent visual branding and the second by working hand-in-hand with Legal Aid to ensure every touchpoint spoke in plain, accessible language and prioritized community voices. Unlike generic awareness campaigns, Do NYC Justice was hyperlocal by design. The strategy combined arrest data, cultural testing, and neighborhood-specific placements to ensure the right message reached the right people, in the right place, at the right time.
It wasn’t about pushing a brand but opening a door to justice and ensuring everyone knew it was there.
Our hyperlocal strategy ensured this was more than just another campaign in the city’s crowded ad landscape. Every placement was chosen for proximity to need, every message tested for cultural resonance, and every QR code designed to turn visibility into action. By placing bold, high-visibility creative in exactly the right locations and ensuring every touchpoint offered an actionable next step, we reached people in the moments they were most likely to seek help.
Impact:
*compared to a 2023 campaign
Beyond the metrics, Do NYC Justice gave New Yorkers something rare and vital: a clear, visible, and accessible path to help, proving that justice is not just an ideal, but a reachable reality.