Creative American Billboards: Best Advertising Campaigns in US

May 29, 2013, 2:11 am

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Creative American Billboards

What makes one billboard more effective or better than the next? Take a drive down any American highway or around a major metropolitan city streets and you’ll see a barrage of billboards. With so many marketing messages vying for our attention, what makes one stand out? When you look at some of the top America billboards you’ll notice patterns and themes that begin to emerge. That’s because the best advertising campaigns follow trusted and true best practices while pushing the envelope with creativity.

Think Simple Messaging

You might only have a few seconds to catch a pedestrian or motorists’ attention, so an effective billboard should aim for six words or less. Visuals should be the main focus. A boring ad won’t be remembered either. Smart, punchy phrases can make a lasting impression quickly.

Using 3-D Space

An easy way to catch potential customers’ attention is to go beyond the 2-D billboard model. Billboards that have cut outs and images that extend off the billboard layout instantly demand a second glance. Some of the best advertising campaigns also use steam, water, paint, ropes, etc. that extend off the billboard parameters and into the open space.

Social Media Integration

American billboards that drive customers to their social media sites, whether it be Facebook, Twitter or other platforms, are able to carry their messages to the next level. Asking customers to connect on social media for contests, voting, more information and bonus materials allows for an opportunity to further the interaction beyond the initial glance.

Creative Placement

When you think of the best advertising campaignsout there, many play off the space and location surrounding their billboard. For example, consider using more than one billboard placed strategically near each other to connect your message between the two signs. Your sign can also use the natural environment around it. Several memorable billboards have used the background of blue skies or buildings to create optical illusions that require a second glance. 

Multi-Channel Integration

Many billboard campaigns are no longer a stand-alone message. Instead, they reinforce the same campaign with other outdoor media such as bus wraps, transit ads, subway posters and more. This allows the same message to reach potential customers at several touch points.

While our list provides guidelines for what the best advertising campaigns are currently using, it’s only a matter of time until a new wave of innovative American billboards hits the scene with a truly unique angle. Advertising professionals will continue to evolve as they find ways to stand out from the other messages and white noise surrounding the outdoor advertising market.

 This post is sponsored by CBS Outdoor

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For more creative billboard solutions visit Out of Home International.

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Digital Replacement Advertising Distracts Viewers During England v Brazil Game

June 3, 2013, 3:19 am

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While the majority of viewers watching last night's England v Brazil friendly were busy wincing at the barrage of chances battering Joe Hart or applauding Wayne Rooney's wonder goal, a selection of fans with wandering eyes became distracted by the advertising display being paraded across the television screen. Twitter was quick to point out this marketing development, as users became quizzical of decisions made by television networks to allow quite obviously superimposed banners, bringing Digital Replacement Advertising into the limelight.

Despite the Maracanã stadium being fully outfitted in pitchside adverts, an advertising company somewhere was busy making a glaringly obvious attempt at doctoring the original hoardings, with digitally superimposed content taking over entire sides of the stadium grounds. This method of promoting brands has been in development since the beginning of the 21st century, allowing television coverage of high-profile matches to be tailored towards each country, however, it was only trialled publicly in 2011. Unfortunately, differing broadcast standards across the variety of hosting countries means that the system is not quite perfect, with particular blips coming in the form of players losing heads or limbs, and an ethereal outline carrying footballers around the pitch.

The technology has been developed by Finnish company Supponer, and brought to the UK by sports marketing agency Sports Revolution. Special optics inside the camera are able generate a series of rules to allow dynamic adverts to realistically replace the original hoarding. The idea works by then allowing an external agency to superimpose content across the ad hoardings, with the digital feed sent to the host broadcaster and subsequently fed to the appropriate country through each television channel. So those watching the match across ITV might have noticed a rather abrasive blunder involving a cross between Oral B and Ultimate Fighting Championship adverts - but this is nothing to do with the television network in your city.




The benefit of brands paying for these overlays is that the the adverts only exist as a digital signal, meaning that they are flexible and don't require physical creation, giving them the capacity to generate high revenue. The downfall comes for those who have paid for traditional pitchside hoardings, as their adverts will be lost on television audiences watching a series of superimposed graphics.

Instant replays and match photographs tend to expose where superimposed adverts have been used, as the actual stadium appearence is authentically communicated, highlighting where television networks have altered the content.

TOP: television image    BOTTOM: photograph

Pru Parkinson Becomes Clear Channel's First Ever Global Chief Marketing Officer

June 6, 2013, 7:49 am

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Leading outdoor media company Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings has created a new job role of 'global chief marketing officer', filling the position with their existing sales and marketing director, Pru Parkinson. Having been employed by Clear Channel since 2010, Pru has a 25-year back catalogue of experience in the media sector, including positions at creative agency Noodle London and the UK division of Starcom MediaVest Group.

Commenting on the promotion, Pru said:

“I am delighted to have been appointed as global chief marketing officer at Clear Channel Outdoor at a time of great opportunity for our business. As a global company, we are driving expansion in new markets and embracing the creative potential of new technologies. I am excited about the future of our industry and passionate about continuing to promote the Clear Channel story.”

Working alongside Clear Channel's North American marketing departments, Pru will develop the company's global image, directing its universal voice in terms of creativity and industry advancement. She will also manage internal communications within the company, supervising the operation of Clear Channel in 30 countries in order to ensure the brand is internationally seamless, whilst allowing individual teams are able to adapt to their regional market.

Clear Channel Outdoor CEO, William Eccleshare, said:

"This important appointment underscores our commitment to elevating Clear Channel Outdoor as a distinctive, market-leading media company by empowering our organization with vision, brand values and compelling stories of our results for clients. We offer the most impactful and technologically advanced connections between brands and people from San Francisco to Beijing; Pru will help to inspire marketplaces worldwide with these accomplishments. I have great confidence in Pru's ability to help us achieve this and to drive the business to its next level of global development."

Cannes Lions Merges Social Media And Outdoor Advertising

June 11, 2013, 6:50 am

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While the film industry has an annual dependency on the Cannes Film Festival, the marketing landscape gets an additional party in the form of Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Taking place from the 16th - 22nd June, Cannes Lions boasts far more poignancy than celebrity spotting and the excitement of a midnight screening - this event promises seminars, workshops, debates, training and, of course, awards ceremonies.

Just like the film event experiences a buzz around the much-anticipated arrival of everyone from Paris Hilton to Roman Polanski, Cannes Lions will be attended by global brands like Lego, Channel 4, Ebay, Coca Cola, Twitter, Volkswagen and Google. Also present will be the creators themselves, with an assortment of agency representatives to span every outlet, such as Saatchi & Saatchi, Ogilvy & Mather, Carat, TBWA, Mother and Creative Review. There will also be guest speakers including Vivienne Westwood, Lou Reed, Annie Leibovitz, Jack Black and even Mel B. 

In a bid to engage with the uprising digital world, outdoor agency Clear Channel are launching an interactive Twitter campaign marked by the #canvas hashtag, which will collate the best tagged tweets and incorporate them in a hand-painted mural produced by a team of artists in the grounds of  Le Grand Hotel Cannes.

The 16m x 4m #canvas will be projected onto a larger 18m x 5m screen on top of the hotel - an advertising debut for this particular spot along the Boulevard de la Croisette - and its development will also be streamed on the Clear Channel website and across festival screens, described by Clear Channel marketing and planning director Paul Evans as the perfect example of "how outdoor and social media are perfect partners."

Evans also said: "By engaging key influencers and some of the most innovative minds in the global creative and advertising community and beyond, our programme will not only inspire and rally extraordinary thought leadership, but we will go on to create a one-of-a-kind social media-fuelled piece of art."

Daily topics will ignite #canvas conversations, and those displaying a certain je ne sais quoi will be transferred onto the mural, with the finished product uploaded onto the Clear Channel website - complete with the ability to search tweets.


The creative subject schedule is as follows:

Sun 16 June: Who owns the creative agenda?

Mon 17 June: Is creativity an art or science?

Tue 19 June: Is technology redefining creativity?

Wed 20 June: Has globalisation diluted creativity?

Thur 21 June: Should creativity be a bigger force for social good?

Curate The World's Biggest Outdoor Exhibition

June 21, 2013, 3:47 am

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Tracey Emin, David Shrigley, David Hockney, Lucian Freud - some of art's biggest names are about to become part of a nationwide exhibition curated by none other than you. A charitable initiative entitled Art Everywhere has been conceived by Innocent Drinks co-founder Richard Reed, supported by the Art Fund, Tate, and the out of home advertising industry.

From the 10th to 25th of August, the UK will be overtaken by culture as tens of thousands of billboard sites transform into part of the largest exhibition ever. The idea comes amidst friction caused by planned government cuts to the arts budget, with Reed facilitating the project for no purpose other than to "flood our streets with art and celebrate the creative talents and legacy of this amazing country".

 Public donations and support from various partners will enable the project to thrive, with media owners such as Clear Channel, JC Decaux and CBS Outdoor will supplying sites for the display. The website encourages contributions of £3 - the amount needed to cover the cost of paper and printing for one poster site - and those offering larger amounts will be gifted with exclusive works by contemporary British slogan artist Patrick Brill, known by the moniker Bob and Roberta Smith.


A shortlist of creations is currently published on the Art Everywhere website accompanied by a Facebook 'Like' button, inviting the public to vote for the top 50 to be distributed around the UK. Works include Francis Bacon's 1949 'Head', John Constable's 'Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows', Peter Blake's 1967 infamous record sleeve for The Beatles' 'Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band', Damian Hirst's 'Pardaxin' and Sarah Lucas' 'Self Portrait With Fried Eggs'.

Digital interactivity will also enhance the public experience through the Blippar app, which allows further engagement with the art by hovering over the image in order to access additional information about the piece, including the whereabouts of the original and how to order prints.

The Future Is In Your Cocktail

June 26, 2013, 2:24 am

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Swedish-made and globally recognised vodka brand Absolut are encouraging the world to "experience the power of creative transformation", launching a multinational marketing initiative known as 'Transform Today'. Having opened in New York on the 22nd June with Absolut Open Canvas, Transform Today will experience a full run of the world from September, spanning the platforms of TV, press and online advertising in addition to the freshly implemented outdoor activity.


Absolut Open Canvas saw hefty amounts of white paint turning Brooklyn's North 6th Street into a tempting blank canvas this weekend, throwing down the creative gauntlet with a statement of “The Future is Yours to Create”. Open Canvas received its initiation on Saturday with projections from dance party organiser Aurora Halal and music from DJ Dam Funk, and will continue its transformation until the 30th June.

Multifarious creative avenues are currently blossoming before the New York public, as Absolut Open Canvas channels an interactive outdoor exhibition across North 6th Street, aiming to ignite inspiration with a selection of contemporary creators. Collaborators include the likes of Danish photographer Asger Carlsen, diagram expert Andrew Kuo, itsalrightwerealright.com, installation duo Jonah Freeman & Justin Lowe, painter Joseph Montgomery and master of destruction Valerie Hegarty. Their works will span a myriad of mediums, from prints, murals and sculptures right over to an immersive experience involving air currents and an interactive dance piece.
 

Sid Lee are the creative agency behind the New York branch of Transform Today, having secured its role as the brand's global advertising body in December 2012. The marketing executions presented by Absolut have been in action since the 1980s, with the brand's first commission emerging in 1986 from none other than Andy Warhol.

Maxime Kouchnir, vice president of marketing for vodkas at Absolut's parent company Pernod Ricard, described Open Canvas as "as a reminder that we can all transform our present and future if we adopt a daring spirit and use creativity to stretch everyday reality”. She also highlighted the brand's enthusiasm over "collaborating with artists who deliver the unexpected", thus cementing the statement that "ABSOLUT has creativity in its DNA”.

image courtesy of Dean Podmore

EasyJet Keeps Gatwick Airport Under Wraps

July 2, 2013, 7:41 am

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For those entering Gatwick Airport over the next 12 months, you will be able to enjoy an advertising debut as all three tunnels become simultaneously wrapped with easyJet marketing. Thanks to collaborative efforts from Eye, OMD UK, Talon Outdoor and VCCP, the 100 metre wall coverings will generate public interest for easyJet's domestic business routes.

With unlimited free date changes within a 4 week period of the originally booked date, easyJet's domestic business service flies from Gatwick to Belfast, the Isle of Man, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Further destinations include other London airports in addition to North West England, Bristol, Inverness, Newquay and Birmingham.

Managing director of Eye, Sarah Parkes, said: "The combined tunnel wrap is a media first for Eye and highlights the innovative ways that our solutions can be leveraged. This is a fantastic opportunity for the UK’s largest airline to promote its domestic business services at a highly desirable airport and indeed easyJet’s largest base via a cross-section of complementary formats."  

Travelator wraps will reinforce the internal airport advertising, with supplementary promotional activity appearing on both digital and static platforms across Gatwick Gateway tunnels and in the North Terminal Business Lounge. OMD UK's  European business director, Bryan Jago, said: "With easyJet’s market share at Gatwick already over 30%, it represents the ideal environment for the airline to further increase its customer base through effective frequent flyer messaging.”

Gatwick Airport's head of marketing, Andy Lewis, highlighted the airport's continuing business growth “thanks to the large number of key domestic and international business destinations we serve, our direct links into London’s financial districts, and our quick and efficient service at the airport", expressing his excitement over "such an innovative marketing campaign".

Google Play Stands Out At Australian Airports

July 4, 2013, 6:31 am

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A world debut in the advertising industry has been introduced at airports in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, generating a positive brand experience for global corporation Google. Planned by PHD Communications, created by digital agency Mark of the M&C Saatchi group and implemented by outdoor agency OOH Media, the initiative uses pioneering digital interactivity to engage with those carrying Android mobile devices.

The digital screens are working to promote the Google Play store, allowing airport audiences to access free wi-fi and download content to their mobiles including music, apps and books. OOH Media business strategy director, Warwick Denby, described the innovation as "a real example of how the traditional billboard and technology can work together to gain a deeper connection between a brand and individual", continuing to express how "smart phones can drive engagement and enable consumers to connect and transact with the brand online - immediately".

Near Field Communication and QR technology have been integrated in a revolutionary method of allowing audiences to connect with advertisers, with the network of 39 lightboxes, described by OOH Media's group director Warwick Denby as "OOH's most unique use of NFC, QR and Red Crystal technology to allow consumers to control a screen without needing to download an app. They can select the content they want displayed on the big advertising screens and then download movies, magazines, books, music or games from the Google Play Store immediately to their android device”.

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No Clothes in Sight for Project Runway

July 10, 2013, 9:21 am

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A glimpse of bare flesh should come as no shock to the synthetic and superficially preened universe of Hollywood - or so you would think. As Season 12 of reality television fashion show Project Runway prepares to launch, billboard marketing activity has been forced into censorship due to an excess of exposed skin.

The creative features supermodel host Heidi Klum clad in royal attire, alongside co-host Tim Gunn brandishing an oversized sewing needle. Below the duo are a gaggle of male and female models - fully oiled and completely naked. Planned to span the formats of billboard, bus shelter, online and magazines, the risque image has been condemned by regulators for being too shocking for the delicate eyes along Sunset Boulevard.


The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety has the authority to ban displays containing 'obscene matters', and so broadcasting channel Lifetime has been forced to run the campaign in Los Angeles with digitally inserted underwear. Meanwhile, the more liberal city of New York will go ahead with the original artwork while Klum made the image available across Twitter yesterday.

Piccadilly Lights to get a New Screen for Christmas

July 11, 2013, 7:46 am

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If you've ever been to London's Piccadilly Circus, there's a very high chance that you've witnessed the glittering advertising expanse of Piccadilly Lights. Akin to a miniature Times Square homage, the 100-year-old site projects over 715 square metres of digital advertising space across a premium expanse of tourists in the heart of the West End.

A permanent 32.6 x 6.7m Coca-Cola display stands as the UK's largest curved LED screen, and has sat alongside creative offerings from other global brands such as Samsung, Hyundai, Sanyo and McDonald's.

In a sweeping move to remodel the area, the accompanying Piccadilly Lite scrolling panel which stands above Boots is due to be removed in favour of a newly planned digital display screen, aiming to capitalise on the surrounding pedestrian audience. The makeover will commence in September, with advertisers receiving their brand new space by Christmas.

McDonald's is also planning a revamp of its current 12.4 m x 6.7 m spot and new artwork is scheduled for lift-off this October, walking in the footsteps of its Samsung and Coca-Cola neighbours who had an update for the Olympics. With almost 35 million annual pedestrian onlookers and over 22 million vehicles, the new roadside advertising platform will generate paramount exposure for brands, allowing the newcomer to stand along these long-established outdoor names. 

Platinum Equity Buys CBS Outdoor

July 17, 2013, 7:09 am

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In an exciting new development, CEO Outdoors’ President and Chief Executive Officer, Antonio Alonso, has announced the proposed acquisition of CBS Outdoor International by Platinum Equity, a global mergers and acquisition specialist.

The astonishing $225 million deal includes all of CBS Outdoor activities in the UK as well as 13 other markets in Europe and China. In the UK, CBS Outdoor holds the sought-after advertising contracts for the London Underground and the Westfield London and Stratford City shopping complex.

Platinum Equity is an investment firm, founded in 1995, with a highly specialised focus on business operations. Its chief executive, Tom Gores, says, "We are fortunate to have developed a great relationship with CBS throughout this process.  With our international reach and operational resources we can move quickly to complete a seamless transition and create real value in this business."

Antonio Alonso has been swift to reassure CBS’s clients that, although this is an exciting development for them, they remain very focused on operating 'business as usual', and remain 100% committed to ensuring that their clients continue to receive the high level of service they have come to expect.

Plymouth Council Loses Interest in Payday Lenders

July 24, 2013, 5:59 am

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The Labour-controlled Plymouth City Council has taken a pioneering step towards managing the effect that payday loans companies have on the public. Hoping to set a benchmark for other local authorities, Plymouth's proposed action will involve the prohibition of bus stop and billboard advertisements relating to payday loans, supported by banning access to the top 50 payday loan websites across computer networks owned by the council, including libraries.

Having seen Cheshire East council perform a similar online block, Plymouth have taken an escalated stance by incorporating outdoor advertising in their restrictions. Plymouth cabinet member Chris Penberthy said: "Plymouth's advice agencies are taking calls daily from people who are running up huge debts that are causing stress and hardship to them and their families. We need to protect people and make it difficult for payday loan companies to operate in our city."

Presenting a counterargument, CEO of the Consumer Finance Association, Russell Hamblin-Boone, pointed out that "Research shows that 85% of payday customers have no trouble paying back their loans, so the council's belief that the loans are detrimental to those that take them is misplaced and not based on evidence."

Plymouth's clampdown on marketing activity rides alongside considerations from the Financial Conduct Authority, who are debating over the future of payday lenders in advance of their role as industry regulator which will commence in 2014.

British Airways Gives you a Taste of your Dream Holiday

July 29, 2013, 3:15 am

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Tapping into Britain's public during the height of the jetsetting period, British Airways have implemented a campaign at central London's Westfield Shopping Centre entitled 'Picture Your Holiday', which allows shoppers to interact with digital LCD screens in order to generate travel destination suggestions based upon perameters set by each individual. 

Collating everything from food preferences to favourite activities, the touch screens invite users to choose from various options across visual mood boards in order to create their dream holiday. Those partial to expansive beaches can select the image and swipe it into their bespoke book of perfect components, with other options including popular favourites such as art galleries, barbeques and theme parks. 

The completed set of pictures will combine to generate several British Airways destinations, hopefully including places that may have never been considered or even heard of, which can then be shared with friends across social networks and email. The platform also extends to online advertising, with a dedicated website built by Monterosa.

British Airways' head of marketing and distribution, Matt Armstrong, explained the campaign's purpose of "putting the fun and emotion back into searching for holidays", aiming to "surprise people by suggesting destinations they may not have considered" and "showcase the wide-ranging appeal of the destinations we support".

Bartle Bogle Hegarty are the creative agency behind the concept, bought by ZenithOptimedia and Kinetic Fuel, with the outdoor sites provided by CBS Outdoor UK. Managing director of CBS Outdoor UK, Jason Cotterrell, said: "In this digital age personalisation is the golden ticket to a consumer's heart.  Thankfully the advertising industry is leading the way in terms of delivering innovative, relevant content; as evidenced by BA's interactive 'Picture Your Holiday' campaign to inspire a highly targeted audience. Using our interactive digital screens at Westfield London, a unique platform for fame given the access it provides to the right audience, in the right environment, at the right time – essentially when consumers are relaxed, enjoying themselves and in the mindset of spending money - is a smart move."

Outdoor Advertising Keeps its Head Above Water in Q2

August 5, 2013, 8:37 am

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Out of home media resource the Outdoor Media Centre has released advertising revenue figures for Q2 2013, exposing a welcome and unexpected improvement on 2012 activity, despite the equivalent period last year being fuelled by the early launch of London 2012 marketing.

A total revenue increase of 5.9% year on year brings April - June 2013 up to an overall expenditure of £243.1 million. The Q2 results are described as "exceptional" by the Outdoor Media Centre chief executive Mike Baker, with managing director of CBS Outdoor UK, Jason Cotterrell, suggesting that "with more opportunities emerging, this rate of growth should show no sign of abating". 

Q3 is naturally expected to underperform in comparison to the Olympic summer boom of 2013 - the Games took place from July 27th  to August 12th - and investment director at outdoor media agency Rapport, James Rodham, predicts an overall revenue drop of 2% for the outdoor industry.

 

Digital out of home also enjoys a successful period, taking up 21% (£52.3 million) of the total revenue and experiencing a year on year growth of 37%. The continuing success of digital out of home comes as advertisers are becoming increasingly competent at providing dynamic forms of public interactivity, such as British Airways' recent 'Picture Your Holiday' campaign.

Nielsen Media Research reveals that Sky and Samsung maintain their 2012 positions as the top advertisers for Q2 2013, reaching a momentous expenditure of £9.86 million and £8.3 million respectively - Sky hitting almost twice that of Coca Cola in 3rd place at £4.85 million. Other leading brands include KFC, BT, Warner Bros, Unilever, Heineken, Lloyds TSB and Talktalk, who have all overtaken last year's more prominent players such as Asda, EE, McDonald's, Halifax and Universal Pictures.

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The Special One gets a Piri-Piri Kick

August 14, 2013, 5:31 am

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In a diverse advertising initiative, the West Cornwall Pasty Co have concocted a Portuguese-themed piri-piri chicken pasty entitled 'The Special One', acknowledging the return of football manager Jose Mourinho to Chelsea FC.

Divised by the company's newly appointed creative agency BabyGRAND, the exclusive baked snack will be available at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge stadium during the club's first Premier League match of the season. West Cornwall Pasty Co marketing manager, Shelagh Smale, explained their intention to create something which "brings together the best of Britain and Portugal- a bit like the special one himself".

Having won the West Cornwall Pasty Co account back in June, BabyGRAND have further plans for limited edition promotional releases - such as Christmas editions - and updates to stores in a bid to inject life into the brand

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The Samsung Galaxy S4 gets Dramatic in London

August 22, 2013, 5:41 am

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Ever been to Waterloo station? If so, you'll probably have noticed the barrel-shaped beast that is the BFI IMAX cinema which houses the biggest UK cinema screen across an entire roundabout junction. In an outdoor advertising media premiere, creative agency Cheil have coordinated a campaign to catapult the release of Samsung's new Galaxy S4 mobile phone.

Two supersized digital screens were installed to communicate the impressive 'Drama Shot' camera feature of the Galaxy S4, which allows users to create a montage of sequential still images from a moving shot. The cinema screen itself measures 26 x 20 metres, meaning that the IMAX building subsequently presents a vast space for marketing creativity, with its cylindrical structure allowing comprehensive visibility.Each outdoor LED platform boasts almost 75 square metres of space, ensuring that the city is fully aware of just how impressive Drama Shot can be.


In a further offshoot of the campaign, which also treads unchartered advertising territory, "Eat Street" at Westfield London Shopping Centre saw its digital screen fitted with speakers to demonstrate the phone's Sound & Shot feature, which allows background noise to be included with a still image.

Piccadilly Lights Begins Building its new Digital Screen

August 27, 2013, 6:25 am

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It was announced earlier this year that the infamous Piccadilly Lights advertising nucleus across London's Piccadilly Circus is getting a revamp for Christmas, and the first steps towards the expansion of this iconic site have now commenced.

Outdoor advertising specialists at Wildstone have been assigned the task of finding an advertiser for a new 25 x 5 metre LED screen, with site owner Land Securities estimating a weekly audience of 2 million for the location. 

Land Securities' asset manager across London's West End, Rob Jewell, said: “Land Securities is thrilled to be launching this new opportunity at one of the world’s most recognised locations. Piccadilly Lights is a coveted advertising location which rarely becomes available so we’re very excited to welcome a new brand to the site.”

The enhancement project, coined 'One Piccadilly', will also include a makeover for the Boots and Barclays shops beneath the glowing elevated digital screens. With the new spot replacing the Piccadilly Lite scrolling text display and a static Lycamobile billboard, the development pinpoints the growing demand for digital outdoor advertising space.

MINI shows there are Benefits to Being 'Not Normal'

September 6, 2013, 7:44 am

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Proud MINI owners were rewarded as valued customers of the car marque this month, with a roadside campaign across the Cromwell Road Digital Gateway that delivered real-time tailored messages acknowledging drivers as they travelled past.

Booked by outdoor agencies Vizeum and Posterscope, the digital screens were injected with creativity by Iris and KoffeePot, working as part of the 'Not Normal' MINI strapline. Vizeum MD, Richard Morris, described it as a "groundbreaking campaign that harnesses pioneering technologies to entertain MINI customers and commuters", explaining how they wanted to maximise the potential of outdoor advertising in order to engage with the "incredibly creative" MINI community.

In place from the 26th August across this major central London location, the campaign content was triggered by a team of MINI spotters, with a further interactive component introduced on the 29th that offered drivers the chance to collect a treat from specific nearby service stations. These ranged from a bacon sandwich or smoothie to a full tank of fuel.

Ann Inglese, national communications manager at MINI, said:

"Our 'Not Normal' campaign is all about celebrating the unique and inventive spirit of MINI drivers and saluting them. The integrated agency team have delivered a fantastic way to bring this to life on the outbound stretch of the Cromwell Road, using new technology to tailor fun, cheeky messages for our drivers."

Fast Food is our Favourite in '150 Brands' Game

September 16, 2013, 4:15 am

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First it was 'Look for Longer' in 2012, then it was '150 Brands' this July - CBS Outdoor have so far launched two interactive outdoor campaigns that have gone thoroughly viral, continuing to reinforce the fact that out-of-home advertising is far from slowing down.

As a descendent of the monumental Look for Longer success, 150 Brands would have to use similar methods of anchoring the city's attention span - and we think it did just fine. Where Look for Longer presented one very cryptic London Underground puzzle, 150 Brands celebrated the Underground's 150th anniversary by asking both commuters and online participants to guess 150 iconic brands through visual and strapline clues.

With a presence at 78 tube stations for two weeks, 150 Brands was perfectly positioned to connect with the constantly moving public of London, providing a welcome distraction from platform waiting times and claustrophobic rush-hour journeys.

Brands ranging from Marmite to Apple were represented by abstract product photos or trademark company mottos, aiming to compliment Look for Longer's coverage of 170 countries, 7,000 social network reactions and almost 300,000 unique web hits. This outdoor advertising sequel managed to provoke 38,149 web visits from 99 countries, with players spending an average of 47 minutes tackling the game online. Almost 40% of site traffic came from social networks - 65% of which was Facebook-inspired and 26% via Twitter - with a full 50% of activity stemming directly from those viewing the 115 billboards.

CBS Outdoor UK marketing director, Simon Harrington, pointed out that "57% of Londoners have a smartphone", with many of those able to maximise on the London Underground's expanding free wi-fi networks, meaning that the campaign was able to fully harness the power of social media. 31% of visitors to the 150 Brands website were coming from mobile devices, giving advertisers a thorough example of how out-of-home is a "meaningful way of engaging with a hyper-connected target audience". 


Harrington continued to say that: "The 150 Brands game provides just an inkling of what can be achieved when you fire up people’s imagination and bring them along for the journey; in this case, the opportunity to involve people in the London Underground’s rich advertising heritage."

Slogans receiving the most recognition were Maybelline's "Maybe She's Born With It", which has been in circulation since 1991, followed by Burger King's "Taste is King", Nike's "Just Do It", KFC's "It's Finger Lickin' Good", and McDonalds' "I'm Lovin' It".

Visually, Heinz Tomato Ketchup was the most recognisable brand, with Orangina, Corona, Jaguar and Playstation filling the following four spots. 

Advertising Week highlights how OOH is 'EverywhereUR'

September 24, 2013, 2:40 am

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London recently saw a celebration of outdoor advertising on the London Underground, with '150 Brands', the follow-up to last year's Look For Longer campaign. And now, across the globe, New York is hosting the Advertising Week's 10th Anniversary edition, which has seen the Outdoor Advertising Association of America organise a countrywide network of 2,500 hashtagged billboards designed especially to highlight the fact that OOH is '#EverywhereUR'.

Running from the 23rd to 27th September, Advertising Week 2013 is striving to amplify awareness for the invaluable relationship between outdoor advertising and social media, with the #EverywhereUR campaign integrating Twitter and Facebook into its public platform by allowing New Yorkers to see their own photos displayed across the network.

President of the OAAA, Nancy Fletcher, said: "OOH is the perfect medium to allow advertisers to engage with the public because it is everywhere you are, reaching consumers where they spend more than 70 percent of their waking hours – outside of the home."

Digital signage company Aerva are behind the system, which filters the #EverywhereUR tag and displays selected user images, which can then be captured by cameras and sent back to the original Twitter account. Aerva's AerTweet technology allows Tweets to be moderated and displayed, accompanied by their Pic2Screen feature that opens the floodgates for user images to feature on a designated digital screen in Times Square.

Aerva CEO, Sanjay Manandhar, sees these interactive experiences as essential to give adverts meaning, saying that social media "allows us to broaden the scope of measurement, helping advertisers to more closely define their audiences and ad placement".