{"id":703,"date":"2016-02-03T01:16:55","date_gmt":"2016-02-03T01:16:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/billboards.bmediagroup.com\/?p=703"},"modified":"2016-02-03T01:16:55","modified_gmt":"2016-02-03T01:16:55","slug":"ibm-smarter-cities-outdoor-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bmediagroup.com\/news\/ibm-smarter-cities-outdoor-media\/","title":{"rendered":"Making Cities Smarter Using Outdoor Media"},"content":{"rendered":"

IBM has been using technology to make the lives of business people easier for more than a century, but they don\u2019t exactly have the sexiest brand image. \u00a0They\u2019ve done a great job of promoting themselves as a no-nonsense company that will give you a solid bottom line, but that\u2019s a difficult concept to translate into a trendy advertising campaign.\u00a0<\/span>However, thinking outside the box, they recently succeeded in creating an outdoor media campaign<\/a> so groundbreaking it’s being used as an advertising case study today!<\/span><\/p>\n

The Campaign<\/span><\/h3>\n

The campaign itself featured three unique billboards that all contained the slogan, \u201cSmart Ideas for Smarter Cities,\u201d and they did more than just look beautiful. \u00a0They were placed in London and Paris, and each one was a very clever solution to a common problem that urbanites often face.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Bench<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"IBM<\/p>\n

The first was a two-toned billboard with an orange background and red outlines of a bench at the bottom. \u00a0But, 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. \u00a0In other words, they did the opposite of a standard advertising practice, and they allowed a bench to connect itself to their billboard.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Rain Cover<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"IBM<\/p>\n

The next billboard wasn\u2019t extremely different from the bench, except it was blue, white, and upside down. \u00a0This one provided what looked like an awning, but it saved many people from getting soaked while out walking on a rainy day.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Ramp<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"IBM<\/p>\n

In order to make the third billboard, the designers had to break the mold and start over. \u00a0This one was green and much larger, and it was positioned next to a few stairs. \u00a0Obviously, it made sense to extend the bottom of the sign in a way that would create a little ramp up the staircase. \u00a0It worked for bikes, wheelchairs, suitcases, and anyone else looking for an innovative way to get around.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Was It Advertising?<\/span><\/h3>\n

These signs are incredibly creative and impressive, but the actual purpose behind them is more mysterious. \u00a0They were advertising the People 4 Smarter Cities Program<\/a>, and this is one which has the goal of providing a platform for the spread of smart ideas. \u00a0The 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thinking Outside of the Box<\/span><\/h3>\n

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. \u00a0Companies often try to push these ideas, but they get brushed off by the average person because they simply look like corporate propaganda.\u00a0<\/span>However, it\u2019s hard to ignore a billboard that solves a problem, so people started paying attention.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Results in the Advertising World<\/span><\/h3>\n

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. \u00a0At the Cannes Lions International Film Festival of Creativity<\/a> in 2013, they won one of the most coveted prizes in the advertising industry, the Outdoor Lion Grand Prix award. \u00a0The 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

All It Took Was a Curve<\/span><\/h3>\n

One of the most spectacular parts of this advertising campaign was how a very simple concept demonstrated the whole purpose of the program. \u00a0The only physical difference between these and the millions of other signs on the street was a curve or a bend. \u00a0Without 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

Video of the ‘People For Smarter Cities’ Campaign<\/span><\/h3>\n