Think outside the billboard

The Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity has showcased some incredible work this year, particularly in the Out of Home (OOH) category, which I find especially exciting. Outdoor media provides an expansive canvas for creativity, yet in India its potential remains underutilised. While OOH remains one of the most effective means to get noticed, it is often just limited to billboards.

However, globally, brands have set new benchmarks by exploring diverse mediums beyond billboards. We've seen a supermarket aisle in the middle of a forest, a boat floating above a lake, a navigational system for sidewalks, and innovative use of everyday items like hangers, paper napkins etc. that are so unexpected, thus memorable.

Here are some of my favourites, which have pushed the envelope and gone beyond traditional forms of OOH to bring about societal change, generate memorable experiences, and change behaviour.

Sightwalks

This remarkable campaign from Peru, transformed sidewalks into a permanent outdoor medium. SOL cement developed a tactile signage system to help visually impaired individuals identify services by tapping the sidewalk with their cane. A horizontal bar indicates a tile, with vertical lines representing different venue categories (e.g. one line for a restaurant, two lines for a bank, three for a grocery store). It deservedly won multiple awards, including a Grand Prix Lion and several golds.

The beauty of this solution is in its simplicity and scalability. It can be implemented globally, significantly improving the lives of the visually impaired. This campaign highlights how outdoor advertising can help brands transcend business goals to address societal issues and make a real difference in people's lives.

Clean Sponsorship

Clean Sponsorship is a brilliant example of impactful advertising. Consul, a washing machine brand in Brazil, bought every space on a football club's jerseys and removed all the logos, including their own. The idea was taken to the most celebrated outdoor spaces – football games, as well as millions of TV screens. The players wore the jerseys in their original, clean and unbranded form, showing that a brand doesn't need to be in people's faces to be memorable. This approach won Gold and Silver Lion in the OOH category and several other awards.

This wasn’t the first time a brand used a jersey to send their message, but Consul made a bold statement by taking off their logo for every game. It questions the belief that more visibility equates to greater effectiveness and suggests that sometimes, less is more. This approach redefines how brands can change the game in the outdoor space.

In Transit

‘In Transit’ made history by leveraging the iconic voice of New York City's subway announcer, Bernie Wagenblast, who recently came out as a transgender woman. During the week leading up to Transgender Day of Visibility, Bernie's voice delivered powerful messages about the contributions of transgender individuals. This audio medium reached a wide audience and earned a well-deserved Gold Lion and multiple shortlists.

It really got me thinking about how almost every country has in-train announcements, but no one has used them so interestingly. Additionally, billboards and posters depend on being within the viewer's line of sight and require people to actively look in their direction. Audio in outdoor media captures the attention of everyone within earshot, regardless of their line of sight. Furthermore, audio benefits from the use of tone and music to form an emotional connection with the audience, making it even more impactful. In fact, breaking the pattern of monotonous announcements sparked curiosity among commuters. This campaign exemplifies how OOH can leverage different sensory experiences to enhance engagement.

If You’re into It, It’s in the V&A:

The ‘If you’re into it, it’s in the V&A’ campaign aimed to showcase the museum's extensive and varied collection, challenging and correcting the misconception that the museum lacked relevance to people's interests, which had led to a decline in visitors.

The result was an out-of-home masterpiece. The brand went beyond a traditional campaign to devise hundreds of unique executions, mostly outdoor. Objects relevant to specific interests were created and placed in contextual locations for enthusiasts to stumble upon. From bound books to theatre seats to custom-knitted sweaters, these installations invited people with diverse the museum's eclectic collection. It's no surprise that the campaign secured a Silver Lion in the OOH category.

This campaign highlights the power of context and relevance in this medium. By placing objects in locations where the right people would naturally find them, it shaped a seamless and engaging experience. It highlights the importance of understanding the audience and crafting messages that are integrated effortlessly into their journey.

Aid Aisle:

FreshChoice, a sponsor of the Kepler Challenge, decided to go as far outdoors as possible by placing a supermarket aisle in the most remote parts of New Zealand’s wilderness. It was stocked with everything endurance athletes needed 50kms into one of the toughest ultramarathon races in the world. Exhausted runners were surprised to come across this unexpected oasis of essentials! The brand didn’t have to pretend to be something it’s not. It's a brilliant example of meeting a need exactly where it arises. The campaign had an impressive run with a Silver Lion and several other metals.

Aid Aisle exemplifies the influence of surprise and delight in outdoor advertising. By creating an unexpected and highly relevant experience, the campaign not only met a practical need but also built a memorable brand interaction. It demonstrates that outdoor communication can be dynamic and responsive to audience’s need, enhancing its effectiveness.

The Floating Boat:

As water levels dropped due to drought, an outdoor installation of a boat remained suspended above Italy’s Garda Lake, symbolizing the impact of environmental shifts. This installation served as a compelling visible marker of the invisible consequences of climate change, significantly raising community awareness about environmental issues. It fostered a strong bond between the brand E.ON and the people. The campaign earned a Silver Lion and multiple shortlist nominations.

This campaign illustrates the potential of OOH to address urgent global issues. By conceptualising a gripping visual metaphor, it conveyed the reality of climate change in a way that was both striking and thought-provoking. This kind of work can elevate a brand's purpose, aligning it with broader societal concerns and fostering deeper connections with the audience.

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The Cushioning Route:

Nike, always pushing boundaries, filled potholes in the popular jogging spots with material resembling the softness of their Invincible 3 shoe soles. Runners experienced the product's benefit first-hand whilst running outdoors. Plus, a QR code on the patches boosted sales without requiring a store visit. The campaign was recognised with two Bronze Lions and received multiple shortlist nominations.

The campaign is a brilliant example of experiential marketing in OOH. By directly integrating the product experience into the environment, Nike not only demonstrated the product's benefits but also enhanced the running experience. This approach demonstrates how the simplest touchpoints can be explored for immersive brand experiences that resonate on a personal level, driving both engagement and sales.

Other noteworthy OOH campaigns include Heineken using delivery trucks as billboards for Chinese New Year, WhatsApp leveraging window blinds to emphasize privacy, and Sheraton placing hangers in hotel closets to promote clothing donations. These examples show how brands can find powerful, clutter-free mediums often hidden in plain sight.

The brilliance of many of these innovative campaigns lies in their seamless integration into the consumer journey, making them unforgettable.

As we move forward, it’s crucial for brands to recognise that OOH advertising extends beyond static images on billboards. The true power of the medium lies in its ability to intersect with people's lives in unexpected and meaningful ways. By embracing unconventional mediums and thoughtful integrations, brands can create memorable experiences that capture attention and drive meaningful change and engagement. There are limitless opportunities for creativity in OOH, and only by thinking outside the billboard can brands harness the full potential of the medium.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not in any way represent the views of exchange4media.com.