admin, Author at Outdoor Advertising News

Relate to your Audience – Classic Puerto Rican Commercials

Posted on August 1, 2016 by admin

How successful is your advertising? Do you even have a strategy?

Most companies do, but there are quite a few who don’t do it correctly. And the truth is, a little mistake can put you out of business, but a minor correction can drive your sales through the roof. It all comes down to relating to your audience so you can give them what they want. Do you feel confident that your company does that?

The Point of Advertising

There are many different reasons for advertising, but the ultimate goal of doing it is to increase the amount of money that your company makes. However, there are a lot of different ways to go about it. The simplest example is trying to convince customers to stop what they’re doing and go pay for your product or service. A more complex idea is building up a specific image around your brand that will influence the decisions potential customers will make in the future, and this often is done in a way that patiently waits until they are ready to get out their wallets – then it swoops in and makes the sale.

The thing to know is that you can try as many of these different types of strategies as you want, but they are only going to work if you remember to do the most important thing: get the attention of specific customers.

Picking a Target Audience

Before being able to relate to your audience, you have to decide who they are. You can narrow them down by age, income level, interests, or a number of other factors. One of the best ways of doing it is to really think about the product or service that you are offering. Who does it solve a problem for? Once you know the answer to that question, try to figure out more about these people. It helps to know where and when they shop, how much money they make, whether your offering is a necessity or a luxury item, and other similar concepts.

Once you’ve figured this out, you’re ready to make your advertisement. You know who your customers are, why they need your product, and where and when they’ll give you their money. Now, it’s as simple as making sure that your ad speaks their language.

Risks of Not Choosing the Correct Audience

Unfortunately, narrowing it down to the exact type of customer can be difficult. Also, many managers are afraid of excluding larger groups because they think it will lose overall sales. But, advertising to smaller groups almost always leads to larger profits! This is because generic advertisements that are aimed at getting the attention of everyone tend to backfire. They ultimately get ignored by all the different groups, and their money ends up going to other companies. However, targeting a specific group means it will be more noticed and the message will get across more successfully.

What Does This Have to Do with Puerto Rico?

Most of this is known by successful business managers, but what does it have to do with Puerto Rico? Well, a lot. If you’re operating your business on the island, you will have to decide who your market is. If you’re part of a big international brand, it can sometimes be enough to simply localize the advertising strategy in a way that pulls in Puerto Rican culture. In this case, basically the target audience is the locals, and that has narrowed it down from everyone else on the planet. The overall strategy will have already figured out how to position itself for the right types of people. Use the local lingo, show Puerto Ricans, and mix the music.

On the other hand, if you’re simply a local company, you might have to distinguish between yourself and other similar businesses on the island. This is where it helps to have a small and defined target audience.

Mixing Types of Advertising

Another important thing to note is that it’s important to mix different types of advertising. You want to reach your targets where they are, so you can target teenagers on Facebook, but probably not their grandparents. But, it usually works best to use a few different channels. An online video can educate them about your product, a billboard can remind them every day on their way to work, and a sale can get them through the door.

Classic Puerto Rican Commercials

If you want more examples of what the purpose of this is all about, just think about some of your favorite ads that you’ve seen. There are plenty of classic commercials that have done well over time. Here are a few examples of favorites from the past, do you remember them?

Who Is Your Audience?

So, do you know who your audience is? Are you ready to reach them? Give us a call, and we’ll make sure your billboard becomes a valuable part of influencing your customers.

Survival Billboard

Posted on July 19, 2016 by admin

Video games are a fun concept for advertisers because of all the options they offer, and they often have some pretty high-tech solutions to get the attention of potential customers. But, they have started to stray away from simply advertising the graphics, and they’re trying to tap into the interests of those who would like a particular game. For the release of the new Tomb Raider game, the advertisers used a billboard to really push the limits of anything done before. And, it really got the world’s attention.

Live Survivors

Since the game follows the heroine through quite a few intense situations, they decided to have some people compete to see who was as tough as Lara Croft. Eight contestants stood on platforms on the side of a billboard, and they had to see who could last the longest. But, that would be too simple, so they spiced it up a bit – they hit them with bad weather: rain, snow, heat, cold, and many other things. To keep the audience involved, the whole thing was streaming live on the internet, and the audience could vote on the weather patterns.

Was It Real?

One of the first things that many people wonder is if this was actually a real project. The fun answer is that it was. It was tricky to pull off, but none of it was faked. The McCann London team that made it worked really hard to make it happen, and the contestants fought impressively with each other. One contestant even had to be removed and treated for hypothermia. If that doesn’t prove its legitimacy to you, then nothing will!

Full of Challenges

Building the actual billboard was a challenge because they had to meet a lot of requirements. They wanted to do it in London (the home location of the video game), but they had to work to find a location which would be noticeable without bothering normal city traffic. Also, they had to install the weather machines, as well as make sure the live streaming options were all going to function correctly. They even needed a special team of seamstresses to make sure that the letters on the contestant’s shirts perfectly lined up with the message on the billboard.

Another major obstacle was not knowing what would happen. This was essentially a reality show, so they had to plan for any different scenario to make sure the outcome was exciting. It was a lot of work, but they really seemed prepared.

The Advertisements of Putting It Together

This was a nice case in the advertising world, because the planning stages also worked to advertise the game. In order to find the contestants, they followed a similar strategy to what producers do when casting a television show. They used posters, social media ads, radio spots, and other forms of media to let potential contestants (and customers) know the whole event would take place. This alone carried the spirit of the campaign and the game around, so people were already excited about the billboard by the time it was put up. Can you imagine if your customers were excited for the day that your sign would appear?

Was It Successful?

Yes, it was a tremendous success. Video games are an extremely competitive industry, and this one was being released at the same time as some of its top competitors. However, this really rebranded the game and its main character, and it actively engaged potential players in a way that none of the others were able to do.

The Advertising World Loved It

It’s not a surprise to learn that even in the world of advertising, this whole show really stood out. It managed to win 17 Cannes Lions, making it one of the most awarded campaigns of the year, plus many other awards and recognitions. That doesn’t normally happen with a billboard, but it’s proof that anything can be great if done correctly.

Was it Dangerous?

One of the reasons that this was so successful was because of the fact that it was dangerous. That’s something that always gets people’s attention. However, it doesn’t look very good for your brand if someone actually gets hurt. Doctors performed a very strict evaluation of each contestant to make sure that they would be able to compete, and they closely monitored them during the event to keep them safe.

Would This Work for You?

Xbox and Tomb Raider really hit the jackpot with this billboard. It’s just another example of how successful this advertising medium can be – if used correctly. Would doing something similar like this work for your brand? We’d love to hear any crazy ideas that you’d like to make a reality!

A Billboard that Identifies People Who Litter

Posted on June 30, 2016 by admin

Do you have an opinion on people who litter? Almost everyone does. Unfortunately, for those living in crowded urban areas, it’s really just a fact of life. Governments and societies try to crack down on it, but many people just don’t listen.

One anti-litter group decided that enough was enough, and they took a fairly radical step to fight the problem. But, did they cross any ethical lines themselves? That’s up to you to decide.

The Problem

Hong Kong is a city full of people. As a matter of fact, the more than 7 million inhabitants crammed into such a small place ranks it as the fourth most densely populated region on the planet.

That many people always adds up to a logistical nightmare when it comes to waste disposal, but it doesn’t help that littering seems to be the official sport. Every day, there is more than 16,000 tons of waste dumped in the city, and this has given life to the Hong Kong Cleanup Initiative. The organization’s name is pretty straightforward about what they do, but you might be surprised to learn that they literally launched an in-your-face campaign to combat the problem.

Basics of the Campaign

The government has already tried many methods of going after this problem, so the campaign had to find a unique way of getting to people. There are pretty hefty fines given to anyone caught littering, but that just wasn’t motivational enough. This led the environmental group to team up with Ogilvy & Mather Hong Kong to try and put together something that would really get people listening. So, the strategy decided on for this campaign was to do a bit of shaming for the litterbugs in society.

They Even Found the Perfect Day to Do It

This whole project was called the Face of Litter Campaign, and they had the perfect day to launch it: Earth Day. Leading up to it, teams had worked to collect garbage, and they managed to pick up more than 4,000 tons from the streets. Then, they gave it to some scientists to work their magic.

What Tech Did They Need to Do It?

Scientists at Parabon NanoLabs used Snapshot™ DNA phenotyping to analyze who had touched the various garbage samples, and this allowed them to make a digital drawing of the litterbug responsible for each individual piece. They tended to focus on bits of garbage that would have physical bits of people left behind, and some of the favorites were coffee cups, cigarette butts, and condoms. This technology has the ability to predict eye color, hair color, skin color, freckling, shape of the face, and a lot more about people just from a tiny amount of their DNA. It may sound like something out of science fiction, but that’s the world we live in today.

What Did It Accomplish?

The Hong Kong Cleanup Initiative has some great programs in place to clean up the trash. Unfortunately, they were really stuck in the pattern of cleaning up after people, and they weren’t having much success in preventing littering in the first place. That’s where this campaign really helped out – it got people talking. In only two weeks, it managed to get 3.9 million engagements on social media, and $5 million in earned media coverage.

Advertising vs. Activism

This campaign was very successful by many measurements, but it does raise some ethical questions. The pictures that were shown were generated drawings of theoretical people, but is it appropriate to publicly shame people? Even if it works to solve a problem, it can cause harm to people who may or may not deserve it. We don’t have the answer to this, it’s really up to you and your own personal beliefs.

Science!

A major takeaway from this campaign is how science can be used in advertising. It’s likely that this whole project would have been far less interesting if they had simply taken photographs of people caught in the act of littering. It really stands out because of the amazing science that many people didn’t realize was possible, but then it was the perfect chance to convey the message once it had everyone’s attention.

How far will your advertising go?

Have you ever done anything similar to get your message across? You don’t necessarily have to be so aggressive with your advertising tactics, but this doesn’t change the fact that pulling stunts like this will get you talked about. So, don’t be afraid to push the limits, but make sure you’re thinking about your image as a whole before you do anything too crazy.

If you’re not sure how to do this on your own, just give us a call. We’re ready to hear your ideas!

How to Promote Your Business in Puerto Rico

Posted on June 6, 2016 by admin

If you own or run a business in Puerto Rico, there are many different ways that you can promote it and try to gain a larger customer base. The entire advertising industry has changed a lot because of the advances in technology, but that doesn’t mean the traditional methods are simply things of the past. In today’s world, you can put signs on the side of the road, print ads in the hands of customers, or blast them with digital pixels on electronic devices. All of these methods can work to accomplish different goals and reach different people.

Here, we’ll focus on three of the most successful strategies to use in Puerto Rico. If you use a mixture of these methods in your business, you should see some pretty strong results.

1. Billboards

Puerto Rico is densely populated, and everyone here knows that. With more than 3.5 million individuals living together in 3,515 square miles, the island has more than 1000 people per square mile. Mixed in with all these potential customers is about 3 million registered vehicles, so that works out to being a lot of people sitting in traffic with eyes ready to see your billboard. Also, studies have found that more than half of people discuss interesting messages they see on billboards, and a quarter of people go to a store because of what they read.

Many of these people are already in the car and ready to go shopping, and those are pretty good odds for any marketer.

Billboards should be primarily used to target a very general audience. There’s no way to change the sign for each customer, so a wide message about your brand is the most helpful. Electronic signs give the possibility for quick successions of ads, but they still get blasted across the population.

Outdoor advertising like this is a great way to remind people that your company still exists. Overall, they’re a great way to increase brand recognition. This can really be the difference between consumers choosing your brand from a competitor’s product when they’re sitting next to each other on a shelf.

2. Social Media

There are a ton of social media platforms already, and new ones are being launched every day. Many of these have possibilities to advertise inside of them, and they can be useful because they’ve already convinced users to give them treasure trove of personal data. In other words, the networks know what people are interested in, so you can make sure to only pay for showing your product to consumers who are likely to buy it.

But, out of all the choices you have, Facebook is your best bet in Puerto Rico. The amount of users on the island has been steadily increasing, and it was nearly 90% during 2015. That means that nearly everyone has an account, and many of them use the social network on a regular basis.

You should plan on using Facebook to advertise when you have some unique and interesting content to draw people in. There is a lot of clutter, so words alone probably won’t be noticed. However, if you have a video or an interesting blog post to attract user’s busy eyes, you might just get a click. If they really like what they see, they’ll share your post. And a recommendation from a friend is something that money can’t buy!

3. Google Strategy

Don’t forget that the internet is a big place, and social media is only a small part of it. Getting noticed in the top few results of a Google search for a broad term can be quite tough. But, you can get pushed even higher on the list with a relatively small investment. Using Google AdWords, you can pay to have your result pop up (with a notification that it’s a paid ad).

However, you need to make sure that you use some search engine optimization (SEO) strategies before doing this. This is another chance to really narrow the viewers of your ad to a specific target group, so make sure you learn what people will be searching for before you write your ad – and only include the best terms. This option should be used when you have a very specific message for a very specific group of people.

Strategic Combination

You’ll benefit from using one of these methods, but the real power is in using all of them. However, you don’t need to just start throwing money. Make sure you have an overall strategy to see how they can all work together, and be careful to let them each take advantage of their specific strengths. Don’t necessarily split your marketing budget evenly – think of it as one big number that’s going to increase your bottom line!

Coke’s Mini Ads for Huge Results!

Posted on April 13, 2016 by admin

By no means is it an exaggeration to say that the Coca-Cola Company is one of the largest companies on Earth. In fact, it was listed as the world’s third most valuable brand in 2015. And it’s been going strong since its introduction in 1886. It may be a company valued at $83.84 billion, but that doesn’t mean that Coca-Cola’s only focus is on getting bigger. In fact, one recent ad campaign was built around making things tiny. Really tiny. The product they were selling was mini cans of Coke, so they had to do something to keep with a theme of being smaller than normal. They couldn’t be overly dramatic and shrink the world, but they could shrink the shops that sold the drink. And they did.

The Big Scoop on Coke’s Little Ad

The campaign in question was played out in five different major cities throughout Germany. Basically, Coke installed sales kiosks that looked exactly the same as the hundreds of others that the city dwellers would wander past that day, except these new ones were very small, and they had a mini machine and a person inside. The vending machine was the right size to still pop out the new 150 ml can, but it looked more like something that elves would shop at.

Interestingly, the shops were fully functional, and they sold many different mini products. But, the whole setup was designed in a way that would showcase the little cans of Coca-Cola.

The only exception to the tiny plan was the person inside. These vendors were a normal height, but they were positioned in such a way that kept them at the same level as the counter. It was brilliantly put together in a way to keep the illusion alive.

Unfortunately, these mini kiosks were only there for a temporary time in 2014, so you don’t have the chance to hop over to Germany and go visit them. But, they made sure to give you a way to visually relive the experience. They did this by also creating some print ads showing the kiosk as well as a video that could be shared online.

Why This Little Stunt?

This whole campaign was built around a central motto: “It’s the little things in life that make us happy.” So, it wasn’t about spreading the knowledge, sampling a new flavor, or rambling on about some new innovative production process. Instead, it really just aimed to show people that they could be happy, even from the littlest things. Such as a 150 ml can of Coke.

Instead of going big and corporate, they decided to use guerrilla marketing in a localized location. They anticipated that people would get a kick out of it, and they wanted to take advantage of social sharing to spread the message.

And, as always with Coca-Cola, they wanted to improve the customer experience and keep on building up that brand.

Outdoor Media for an Indoor Product

Soft drink companies generally fight viciously over interior space for their advertising, but this campaign shows it doesn’t have to be that way. Coke easily could have made some big stunt inside of the stores, and they did put a lot of marketing materials there, but not this particular campaign.

Sometimes advertising a product where consumers don’t expect it is a great way to get noticed. This really stood out because the scene was so typical, but so different, that people couldn’t help but notice. It really broke through all of the noise of the competing advertisements.

Of Course It Won Advertising awards

It wasn’t just the Coca-Cola Company that came up with this idea, and the advertising agency behind it was Ogilvy & Mather Berlin. They were pretty proud of the results, and among other awards, they walked away with multiple honors in the 2014 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

Coke’s Strategy is Diverse

They’ve had polar bears, athletes, normal people, and even Santa Claus as spokespeople for their drinks, but, most of those live in print ads and on television. So it was refreshing for everyone involved to see a campaign get into the great outdoors.

Also, they’re still at it with the mini ads. This year they ran a Superbowl spot featuring the Hulk and Ant Man (two Marvel characters), and they engaged in a big chase to see who could get the little Coke.

As Always, Coca-Cola Builds Their Brand

On average, there were about 380 of the mini cans sold each day of the campaign, and that’s a 278% increase of normal vending machine sales. But, that wasn’t the point. The main goal was to contribute to their overall brand image, and it really had to meet their claim that Coca-Cola will “open happiness.” It stuck out to customers and gave them the feeling that Coke is fun, relevant, and something that makes them happy.

It doesn’t matter what your product or service is, there’s always a way to use outdoor media to strengthen a brand as a whole. Are you taking advantage of that? If not, feel free to contact us today.

A Giant Soda Machine Shower

Posted on March 28, 2016 by admin

There’s nothing better than catching some sunshine on a hot day at the beach. But, after some time lounging, swimming in the ocean, and digging in the sand, there are two things you want: A cold shower and a refreshing drink. Most companies skip straight to the second part of this consumer need, but one was thinking outside of the bottle with a guerilla marketing campaign. And it worked.

The Sprite Soda Shower

This whole event was part of a outdoor media campaign in 2012 that the Coca-Cola Company used to help promote Sprite. Essentially, they built a giant soda dispenser complete with the famous green and yellow logo of the lemon-lime drink, and they invited people to stand where the cup would usually go. Once the beachgoer pushed back on the giant lever, a shower would rain down on them.

The best and worst news about the campaign is that it only poured water, not Sprite. Less refreshing, but also less sticky people. They mixed the giant contraption with the opportunity for people to have samples of the soda, and it created quite a stir. Since the summer days on the crowded beach in Brazil could get up to 40°C, there were a lot of people looking for something to cool them down. It managed to shower more than 1,500 each day that it was in place, and you can be sure that these people made an association in their mind with that green label.

But, Why Wash All Your Potential Customers?

If you’re selling drinks, this sounds like a fairly silly tactic. Why wouldn’t you just spend the money on samples of your product, and then freely pass them out all over the beach? Well, that sort of strategy can work, but this was better for many reasons. First, it was talked about. No one rushes home and tells their friends about having a free drink, but they are quick to share their story of becoming a soda.

Next, it created important mental associations. If potential customers are just handed a drink on a hot day, they’ll down it and not think twice. But, if they physically feel refreshment both outside and inside of their body, they’re much more likely to associate that brand with a positive feeling. And that’s the kind of thing that will make a difference when they’re staring at a fridge full of competing brands. Also, this gives identity to a brand. The other companies may make fine products at similar prices, but this one is playful. When happy people head out for a day in the sand, they want to take some brands with them that match their attitude.

What Was the Reaction of the Advertising World?

In short, it was positive. That’s a big part of the reason that we’re still talking about this campaign a few years later.

The agency behind the giant soda shower was Ogilvy Brazil, and they were quite praised for the idea. It was quite talked about at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity where it won multiple awards, and it even took home a gold in one category.

Sprite is Used to Being the Cool Kid

It’s definitely worth noting that this stunt fits in well with the brand image that the soft drink has been working on for years. Sprite has made a name for themselves over time as being trendy and making sure that the younger generations know they’ll be stylish if this is what they’re drinking. They’ve had a lot of basketball, hip-hop, and street art in their campaigns, so they fit right in placing themselves in the middle of a beach party.

Time to Shower Your Customers with Attention

One of the biggest takeaways from this campaign is that marketing really comes down to creative solutions, and it’s about much more than just getting the word out. It can be fairly expensive to invest in many forms of advertising, and this causes many people to hesitate about getting the word out. But, sometimes a campaign can be about getting your customers to decide why they like you, and then make sure this new fact sticks into their mind. It might not get them to drop what they’re doing and run to the store, but it can be a big part of building a loyal customer base throughout the years.

If you don’t want to build a giant soda machine but still want to show some love to your customers, then try to think outside of the box. And don’t worry if you’re having a slow day in the creative part of your brain, just give us a call and we’re happy to help.

What do you think of the Sprite Shower?

What is Skinvertising?

Posted on March 9, 2016 by admin

Before we begin, we just want you to know that bMedia Group does not support the idea of skinvertising!

One of the fundamental requirements of outdoor media or even advertisement in general is that it needs to be placed somewhere where the intended audience can see it. However, as the world gets more crowded and competitive, there are less and less places available. This keeps advertisers hot on the lookout for any new surfaces on which to place their messages, and they often resort to creative solutions.

Coincidentally, there is one other group who loves displaying colorful messages, and their ears were wide open when they heard companies could be willing to pay for their space. This group, of course, is tattoo fans.

What Is Skinvertising?

Skinvertising is exactly what it sounds like: when someone has an advertisement placed on their skin. Since the most practical way of doing this is by using a tattoo, it’s a pretty difficult to undo this once it has been created. However, the permanence of this has led many people to find this whole concept to be really extreme, and some even think it’s just a joke.

It’s not. Many people have literally had advertisements inked into their skin, and a good number of these designs were done on people’s faces. Obviously, you’re going to question why people are motivated to do this, but there isn’t any simple answer. Most of them find themselves in need of money (for one reason or another), and they typically set up auctions so the real estate will go to the highest bidder.

Why Do People Do It?

Everyone seems to have their own reasons for getting this done, but a common trend seems to be needing money quickly. Many of them have families and children to support, and they suddenly find themselves in a position where they don’t have enough income.

But really, who are some of these people?

Jim Nelson

Nelson was one of the originals who rocketed to internet fame with skinvertising. He was paid $7,000 to have a web hosting company’s logo on the back of his head. Ironically, the company didn’t last very long after paying for it, but the ad was still promoting them for years!

Karolyne Williams

Williams was a mother who had GoldenPalace.com tattooed on her forehead for about $10,000. She said she really needed the money to support her son and send him to a private school. Eventually, she was able to grow out her bangs enough to partially cover the tattoo.

Mark Greenlaw

Greenlaw was another inking entrepreneur, and he auctioned off space on the back of his neck which was won by an auction site called Glob@t. He even went so far as to sign a contract that he would travel to a certain number of states and countries each year, or pay a fine to the company he was advertising. His aim was to provide for his family before his paychecks started coming in when he joined the army.

Billy Gibby

Gibby is known by multiple names, and one of them is “Billy the Human Billboard.” He lost his job in 2007, and he needed to find a way to pay the bills to support his wife and five kids. So, he started auctioning off his face for a minimum price of $4,000, and most of his customers were websites (many of which were adult focused).
Billy even legally changed his name to Hostgator Mel Dotcom in 2011, and the website Hostgator paid him $15,000 for this. But, he decided the facial tattoos weren’t working anymore in 2013, so he auctioned off other parts of his body to get enough money for laser removal on his face.

Human Billboards of the Past

While the whole concept of skinvertising may seem a little radical, attaching ads to humans is something that’s far from new. If you need a few examples, just think about how many logos and messages you see on shirts, hats, and shoes every single day. Also, have you ever noticed someone standing on the street with a big sign around their neck? That practice goes all the way back to 19^th century London when the government decided to tax advertising posters stuck to walls. Always a crafty bunch, the advertisers started paying people to wear them, and a new profession was born. You’ve no doubt seen people waving signs (of various levels of quality) on the side of the road, but some are willing to take this the next step.

When Was It Popular?

The skinvertising tattoo craze really seemed to take off in the early 2000s, and it was basically riding the coattails of the dot-com bubble. It seemed to be most popular among websites, and this probably had a lot to do with the fact that all they really needed to print was the URL.

Ads Outlast the Companies

One of the most interesting parts of this phenomenon is the permanence around it. The tattoos easily stick around for a long time, but there have been many cases where the company went out of business before the person could have the ink removed.

More Basic Version in Japan

A similar trend popped up in Japan in recent years, but it was far less permanent than tattooing. Women are paid to place stickers on their thighs, and they have to share a certain amount of photos on social media. The women have to be over 18, but it’s definitely following a provocative strategy that believes sex sells. However, many Japanese cities are pretty saturated with regards to their advertising space, so it’s not a bad idea to find some new real estate.

Love It or Hate It, Skinvertising is Creative

There are a wide variety of opinions about this topic, and there’s a good chance you have strong feelings about it. However, whether it’s a genius idea or absolutely ridiculous, you have to admit that it solves a certain problem.

What’s the most creative thing you’ve done to get word out about your company?

A Billboard That Tracks Airplanes

Posted on February 18, 2016 by admin

In the case of a recent British Airways advertising campaign, the sky was literally the limit. Through a mixture of old and new, they pushed the limits of billboard advertising to give the world something that had never quite been seen before.

The Magical Billboard Concept

When measuring by size of fleet, number of routes, and revenue, British Airways is the largest airline in the United Kingdom. However, the industry is incredibly competitive, and the company still has the desire to soar to new heights with their ad campaigns.

This led to them creating two digital billboards in London. These specific signs were located between the view of people on the street and the flight paths of planes coming and going from Heathrow Airport. Advanced technology was integrated into the display that could track planes as they flew overhead, and that’s when the magic would start.

A video would start to play that showed a child point at the airplane and run off after it. The sign would also give the flight number and location that the plane took off from, and then it would go back to a very simple display about British Airways.

Why Did They Take This Route?

British Airways entered into the campaign with a few main goals, and one was wanting to remind customers of how many global destinations the airline operates out of. Next to that, they wanted to point out some newer destinations, and they hoped that it would inspire consumers to log on to the British Airways website and book a trip.

On the other hand, this wasn’t a campaign that simply advertised a hashtag. It was all planned around a strategy that would help consumers connect with the brand on an emotional level. It’s a common practice for people to look up to planes in the sky and dream that they’re on their way to an exotic location, and this billboard found a way to bring back early memories of everyone who saw it. Using a child allowed viewers to connect with the feelings of being amazed by flight when little, and it avoided all the thoughts of disillusionment brought on by lost luggage and long delays.

The Technology Behind the Billboard

The sign used a surveillance system that was custom built specifically for this campaign to make sure it tracked actual planes, and it made sure that the video was synchronized with the planes as they zoomed by. In order to identify which plane it was, it used a special antenna that could register the transponder of all aircraft within a certain radius. The programming also took many other factors into consideration. For example, it thought about the altitude of the plane, the cloud cover in the sky, and the light (or lack thereof) to ensure that people could accurately see what they were intended to

Reaction from the Internet

A dedicated webpage, ba.com/lookup, was created specifically for the campaign. It was designed to help customers easily convert their longings into bookings, and it enabled them to spend more time packing their bags. It seemed to work because it received more than 43,300 unique visits.

Also, the video of the sign was viewed more than 1.3 million times online, and the campaign earned more than 45 million social media impressions. #Lookup was displayed under the video, and it was used more than 3,400 times on Twitter.

The Advertising World Also Approved

The whole campaign was developed by the Ogilvy 12th Floor agency, and it was a success overall. At the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the campaign won the Direct Grand Prix. Similar concepts had been tried in other parts of the world, but this was the first of its kind in the United Kingdom.

Mix of Digital and Traditional Marketing

One of the biggest takeaways from this campaign is that advances in technology don’t necessarily have to mean the death of more traditional forms of advertising. Print ads may seem far less relevant than online media that keep customers one click away from a purchase, but these digital innovations can take certain platforms in a full circle. In a world full of clickable computer code, a giant video might be just what it takes to stand out from the crowd.

The Impact on Other Companies

Even if you’re not an airline, there’s a way in which you can harness modern technology to advertise your business using outdoor media. Get in touch with us if you’d like some assistance with a new concept, but first make sure that both your seat and tray table are in their full upright and locked positions!

Making Cities Smarter Using Outdoor Media

Posted on February 3, 2016 by admin

IBM has been using technology to make the lives of business people easier for more than a century, but they don’t exactly have the sexiest brand image. They’ve done a great job of promoting themselves as a no-nonsense company that will give you a solid bottom line, but that’s a difficult concept to translate into a trendy advertising campaign. However, thinking outside the box, they recently succeeded in creating an outdoor media campaign so groundbreaking it’s being used as an advertising case study today!

The Campaign

The campaign itself featured three unique billboards that all contained the slogan, “Smart Ideas for Smarter Cities,” and they did more than just look beautiful. They were placed in London and Paris, and each one was a very clever solution to a common problem that urbanites often face.

The Bench

The first was a two-toned billboard with an orange background and red outlines of a bench at the bottom. But, the clever part was that it actually curved outward where the bottom part of a seat should be, and pedestrians could physically sit on it. In other words, they did the opposite of a standard advertising practice, and they allowed a bench to connect itself to their billboard.

The Rain Cover

The next billboard wasn’t extremely different from the bench, except it was blue, white, and upside down. This one provided what looked like an awning, but it saved many people from getting soaked while out walking on a rainy day.

The Ramp

In order to make the third billboard, the designers had to break the mold and start over. This one was green and much larger, and it was positioned next to a few stairs. Obviously, it made sense to extend the bottom of the sign in a way that would create a little ramp up the staircase. It worked for bikes, wheelchairs, suitcases, and anyone else looking for an innovative way to get around.

What Was It Advertising?

These signs are incredibly creative and impressive, but the actual purpose behind them is more mysterious. They were advertising the People 4 Smarter Cities Program, and this is one which has the goal of providing a platform for the spread of smart ideas. The aim is to create an easier and more efficient way for city leaders to hear the creative solutions that citizens and other cities have to the various problems of running a metropolis.

Thinking Outside of the Box

The whole concept shows the advantages of thinking outside the box, and the People 4 Smarter Cities project is the type that can be difficult to educate the public about. Companies often try to push these ideas, but they get brushed off by the average person because they simply look like corporate propaganda. However, it’s hard to ignore a billboard that solves a problem, so people started paying attention.

The Results in the Advertising World

The People for Smarter Cities campaign was orchestrated by Ogilvy and Mather, and the advertising agency received a lot of praise in the creative world. At the Cannes Lions International Film Festival of Creativity in 2013, they won one of the most coveted prizes in the advertising industry, the Outdoor Lion Grand Prix award. The campaign was the top of 5,610 entries, and some of the reasons for winning included that they were such simple ideas presented in a new and innovative way.

All It Took Was a Curve

One of the most spectacular parts of this advertising campaign was how a very simple concept demonstrated the whole purpose of the program. The only physical difference between these and the millions of other signs on the street was a curve or a bend. Without those, it would just be a flat board trying to push an idea, but the presentation was an actual example of the kind of intelligent thinking that they hope to achieve.

Video of the ‘People For Smarter Cities’ Campaign

How Can Your Business Be Smarter?

Many companies think that the product or service that they offer could limit having a fun, engaging ad campaign, but this just goes to show that even the most traditional businesses can still have a little fun with their creative power.

If you’re not convinced, go ahead and reach out to us. We can certainly come up with some ideas to help your billboards turn heads.

bMedia Group Acquires Showtime Outdoor Media

Posted on January 5, 2016 by admin

On December 18th, 2015 we acquired Showtime Outdoor Media, a local outdoor media company serving the Puerto Rico market. This acquisition makes bMedia Group the #1 local billboard media company in the industry.

This announcement was made by our founding partner Juanchi Casillas, who said “through the consolidation of these companies, bMedia will offer the most comprehensive and valuable billboard circuit in Puerto Rico due its strategic and unique locations. This acquisition reaffirms our commitment to the market to continue to add value to our customers providing them with high impact top of the line quality billboards coupled with excellent service.”

“During the past years, we have been working on making contributions to the market through strategic consolidations that help the local economy and improve the dynamics between clients and billboard advertising. The acquisition of Showtime is another key step in achieving our objective”, said Héctor Horta, who is also a founding partner of bMedia.

As part of this consolidation agreement, bMedia Group will have the support of well-known producer, Jose “Pepe” Dueño, who was the founder of Showtime Outdoor Media. He will join the team to facilitate the continuity of “both Showtime and bMedia are distinguished for the passion and the personal attention we provide to our customers. We are proud to be Puerto Rican entrepreneurs whose goals and achievements continue to contribute to our country’s growth”, said Dueño.

Founded in 2009, bMedia Group provides first in class billboards in digital and static formats. The company offers strategic outdoor media advertising services, flexible solutions, and personalized services through a team of marketing professionals.