- Outdoor (in targeted streets and neighbourhoods of Paris)
- Flexible visibility duration, from a few days to several weeks
- Maximum visibility thanks to precise targeting of high-traffic areas
- Customised 100 % markings (logo, message, pictogram)
- CleanTag or temporary marking: a clean and eco-responsible technique.
- Throughout France at your premises or event venues
- French, English, Spanish
- Starting from €1000 excluding VAT
In a city saturated with advertising posters, how can you capture users' attention without offending their eyes or cluttering the space? The answer lies... beneath their feet.
Clean tagging is a street marketing technique that turns pavements, pedestrian zones or cultural sites into communication platforms. Using a stencil and a high-pressure cleaner, dirt is removed around a design to reveal a clean, lasting message. Other variations use biodegradable paints or chalk, for creations that are both ephemeral, ecological, and highly visual.
More than just ground markings, it is an environmentally friendly approach that respects urban heritage, which is increasingly attracting brands and institutions in Paris and across France.
An innovative and impactful way to communicate differently, where passers-by wouldn't expect it.
At Street Designers, we use this technique to create impactful, creative and bespoke marketing campaigns.
What exactly is a clean tag?
A clean tag is a form of street art applied directly to the ground using a stencil. It features a logo, message, slogan or arrow, using a method that makes it visible without being intrusive.
Two techniques are possible:
• The first involves applying a biodegradable chalk or water-based paint to create temporary Street branding.
• The second is based on the inverse principle: the dirt around the stencil is cleaned using a high-pressure washer, leaving the pattern visible by contrast. Hence the name “clean tag” – a "clean stencil".
The clean tag is ephemeral. It disappears with time, bad weather, or a simple cleaning. It leaves no trace, does not damage the surface, and requires no heavy infrastructure. It fits within an impactful Guerrilla Marketing strategy for brands.
Pourquoi utiliser la balise « clean » pour une campagne de communication ?
Clean tagging allows brands to communicate in urban areas without cluttering visual space. By temporarily repurposing the ground surface, eyes are drawn to it. The message appears where no one expects it: at the feet of pedestrians, around a street corner, in front of a shop window, or at a metro station exit. This discreet yet deliberate presence allows for direct and immediate reading, as people walk. Where a poster imposes, a clean tag suggests. Some brands go even further and also use building facades or gables for their advertising. Hand-painted advertising murals by artists.
This is also a very precise solution. We work with our clients to define the quantity of ground markings and the urban scope of this campaign's reach.
We target strategic locations, a cultural or sporting event, a concert, a shop opening. The duration adapts to the project: a few days, a week, a month. We're talking about ephemeral marking, respectful of its environment, but which remains visible long after it's gone. It's a way for a brand, an organisation or an event to position itself in urban space without furniture, without printing, without additional support.
The clean tag is also a creative signature. It evokes street art, urban cultures. It allows a brand to express itself with an offbeat tone.
These campaigns are affordable compared to more traditional advertising on a poster. What's more, the visibility period can be extended when using the aggressive technique of high-pressure cleaning to remove ingrained dirt from the pavement.
What are the possible uses of urban floor stencilling?
The clean tag is suitable for a multitude of situations. It is particularly effective for announcing an event: a concert, an exhibition, fashion week, a product launch or the opening of a new venue.
We design the custom stencil. It can feature a date, a brand, a logo, a tagline, a hashtag, and thus create a form of temporary and creative urban signage. Urban ads on passers-by are powerful. They scan QR codes, navigate to the event location, and search for the product driven by the street marking campaign.
It also works very well for directing the public. When it comes to guiding visitors to a pop-up shop, a festival, a stand, or a specific location, stencilling acts like a thread of Ariadne. It allows an itinerary to be marked out without the need to install anything. The ground becomes a natural medium for directing, informing, or intriguing.
Finally, the clean tag can serve as a trigger for participatory campaigns. One can imagine a trail, a series of messages placed in different locations, a treasure hunt or an adventure game. This type of setup creates interaction, connection, and surprise. And when it's well-thought-out, it gives urban spaces a narrative dimension. You no longer just cross the city; you read it.
How does a street marketing campaign on the ground take place?
Each intervention begins with a reconnaissance phase and an attack plan. Together, we define the most relevant locations to reach your audience, taking into account footfall and traffic patterns. Then, we work on the stencil design: logo, typography, message, layout, tone… Every element counts.
Once approved, we design the stencil with our cutting plotter, and our teams handle the deployment in urban areas. We work at dawn or at night, respecting the location, without disturbing residents or traffic. You then receive a complete photo report of the markings, with digital mapping of the locations.
Is it legal to use the ground as advertising support?
The question comes up often. The clean tag exists in a legal grey area in France. It's not unsanctioned graffiti in the strict sense, as it doesn't use glue, paper, or any added material. It's a temporary, non-polluting intervention. As long as it's done with environmentally friendly materials, on non-fragile surfaces, and in suitable contexts, it's tolerated.
At Street Designers, we use only water-based paints or cleaning techniques that remove ingrained dirt from the floor. The markings can be removed at any time without damaging the floor, or they will fade away naturally in the case of clean tags. This ensures respect for the city and for your image.
However, any excessive misuse of this marketing technique is punishable. What does the law say in Paris? In accordance with Article L581-4 of the Environmental Code, ground markings in Parisian public spaces must be authorised by the Paris City Hall. Failure to comply may result in a fine of up to 1,500 euros per infraction.
For other towns in France, it's best to consult the town hall or not.
How long does a clean tag last?
The longevity of a clean tag depends on several factors: the surface, weather, foot traffic, and type of paint. A chalk tag (chalk marketing) generally fades after a few days to a week. A water-based marking can remain visible for three to four weeks. A clean tag achieved by cleaning the surface can last up to six weeks, or even longer in dry weather.
If necessary, we plan regular interventions to refresh the markings or adapt the campaign to the project's pace.
We can also plan its removal.
How much does a clean tag operation cost?
As each project is unique, we provide a bespoke quote. As an indication, a campaign with fifteen markings in the same urban area starts at around €1800 excl. VAT. This price includes graphic design, stencil creation, materials, logistics, on-site intervention, and image monitoring.
For multi-site, multi-city or long-term campaigns, we adapt the means, schedules and teams. We operate in Paris, Lyon, Caen, Lille, Nantes, Strasbourg, and in all major French cities, as well as in Europe.
Why choose Street Designers?
Because we are primarily graffiti artists and know the techniques and cities we work in perfectly. We also carry out this work with seriousness, precision, and a real sense of detail. Our teams are trained to operate in urban environments, discreetly, quickly, and professionally. We know what works in public spaces and where to strike. And above all, we know that this kind of operation tolerates neither guesswork nor amateurism.
We support you from start to finish: from strategy to production, from installation to analysis. Our ambition: that your message is seen, understood, and remembered, where it makes sense.
- Outdoor (in targeted streets and neighbourhoods of Paris)
- Flexible visibility duration, from a few days to several weeks
- Maximum visibility thanks to precise targeting of high-traffic areas
- Customised 100 % markings (logo, message, pictogram)
- CleanTag or temporary marking: a clean and eco-responsible technique.
- Throughout France at your premises or event venues
- French, English, Spanish
- Starting from €1000 excluding VAT
We have the answers
What is a Clean Tag operation?
Operation Clean Tag is a form of guerrilla street marketing that involves creating custom stencils on pavements in streets to promote a brand or product.
How does a street marketing campaign work in Clean Tagging?
Our stencils are specially designed in our workshop to represent the logo, slogan, or any other brand element to be promoted. These stencils are then placed on the ground in strategic city locations, generally where there is high foot traffic. Using biodegradable paint or water, the designs are applied to the ground and are ephemeral.
What is the difference between a clean tag, a chalk tag, and a green tag?
These techniques all rely on the idea of ephemeral ground markings. Chalk tag uses biodegradable chalk, green tag uses water-based paint, while clean tag is achieved by contrast by cleaning the surface around the stencil with a high-pressure jet.
Is street marketing using ground markings legal?
There is a legal grey area concerning this ground-level practice. All graffiti remains illegal, but in this context, the marking is ephemeral.
What are the benefits of this operation?
This wild street marketing method offers several advantages. It is inexpensive compared to other forms of advertising and can generate high visibility, especially if the stencils are placed in busy locations. Furthermore, it is carried out by experienced graffiti artists accustomed to bombing in urban environments.
How can clean tagging help a brand stand out in an urban environment saturated with advertisements?
The clean tag is surprising because it appears directly on the ground, in the natural field of vision of passers-by. Where traditional posters saturate walls, this device catches the eye without being jarring and creates a differentiating form of communication.
Quel type de campagnes marketing peut utiliser l'étiquette propre (événementiel, lancement de produit, communication culturelle) ?
The clean tag is used to announce a concert, exhibition, fashion week, or shop opening, and also to mark out a route or guide visitors to a specific location. It can also be used as an interactive tool in participatory campaigns (treasure hunts, clue hunts, floor-based QR codes, etc.).
Quels matériaux et peintures biodégradables sont utilisés pour un clean tag respectueux de l’environnement ?
We use water-based paints, chalk or high-pressure cleaning. These methods are 100% biodegradable, do not damage the surface and respect the urban environment.
What is the visibility duration of a clean tag on the floor (chalk, water, high-pressure cleaning)?
The duration varies depending on the technique used. A chalk tag washes away in a few days, a biodegradable paint tag lasts two to four weeks, and a high-pressure clean tag can last up to six weeks.
How to know the effectiveness of a Clean Tag operation?
Through increased sales or traffic to the brand's website, social media interactions, and direct customer feedback. Photo reporting and location mapping also help to measure the impact.
How to define the scope of such an operation?
The target locations need to be listed. Our team will advise you on strategic locations such as metro exits, busy streets, and crossroads. We will provide you with a map of our key intervention points, accompanied by photographs.
Do you operate outside of Paris?
Yes, we are to work on other cities in France and Europe, and we adapt our system to your needs.
