Brand Citizenship Spotlight: Turning Sidewalks Into Freedom
"Sightwalks" by Cemento Sol
WHY THIS MATTERS
I'm obsessed with learning from unexpected places. This time: a cement company in Peru.
Not Patagonia. Not Dove. Not Vermont or California. Cemento Sol. Lima.
Building cities should mean building them for everyone—and if you can't see the sidewalk, you're shut out of society.
THE CHALLENGE
The city ends where the sidewalk stops making sense.
Walk 20 feet with your eyes closed.
Now imagine doing that every day.
For 500,000+ visually impaired Peruvians, public spaces are obstacle courses.
No cues. No signals. No independence.
Dignity shouldn’t require someone else’s arm.
THE IDEA
"Sightwalks" – Sidewalks You Can Feel.
Cemento Sol flipped the script with tactile tiles:
Horizontal lines = sidewalk
Vertical lines = what’s nearby
1 line = restaurant
2 lines = bank
3 lines = pharmacy
Developed with the visually impaired.
Tested. Failed. Refined.
Simple, durable, low-tech—turning every sidewalk into a map you can feel.
IRL →
THE IMPACT
500,000+ Peruvians impacted
Expansion plans to every major city
1.9 million people reached through earned media
Cement turned into freedom
Forget banners.
This is permanent media—etched into the streets.
WHAT OTHER BRANDS CAN LEARN
1. Lo-Fi Wins
No app needed. Sometimes the sidewalk is the platform.
2. Build With, Not For
Don’t design for overlooked communities. Co-create with them.
3. Start Where Others Stop
Innovation lives where no one’s looking.
4. Make Your Product the Platform
Cemento Sol didn’t just sell cement. They sold independence. Community. Access.
What deeper purpose can your product unlock?
5. Stick With It
Failed twice? Good. You're getting closer.
FINAL THOUGHT
If your brand isn't making life easier for the people it's meant to serve,
you're already fading—you just haven't noticed yet.
Really cool story. Love it! Thanks for sharing