INTRODUCTION
Charmaine Moldrich, Chief Executive Officer,
Outdoor Media Association
...
When we published the first edition of OPEN
in 2012 the Out-of-Home (OOH) industry was
tentatively dipping its toes into technologies
such as Near Field Communication (NFC),
facial recognition and consumer engagement
using SMS, WiFi and GPS. The content for
OPEN was predominantly selected with an
artistic eye, rewarding the simple, the bold
and, of course, the cheeky. In OPEN² the
examples we’ve chosen of some of the best
OOH from around the world represent how
far the industry has evolved in just two years.
At the 2014 Cannes Lions International
Festival of Creativity, I was struck by how OOH
is increasingly becoming reflective of culture
and society. ANZ Bank’s GAYTMs campaign
(p. 127) was not only a unique and creative
promotion, it was also a contextually relevant
social statement in support of the annual
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras – not
surprising that it took out the Grand Prix award
for Outdoor.
An unprecedented 5,600 entries for the
OOH category were submitted to Cannes Lions
in 2014, more than for any other category. This
proves that OOH has well and truly arrived and
creatives are excited about the potential of this
‘ultimate creative stage.’
OPEN² shows us not only how far we’ve
come, it also hints at where we’re headed.
It demonstrates a respect for the traditional,
an eagerness for innovation, and an
ongoing commitment to clear and effective
communication – which is still what our
industry is all about.
Sir John Hegarty put it this way, “Selling
stuff has never been a science. It’s all about
persuasion.” And I would add to that, ‘emotion.’
If you can make someone feel something,
they are more likely to do something. Hegarty
also noted that, “a brand is made not just by the
people who buy it, but also by the people who
know about it.” It is the combination of these
two ideas that makes OOH so potent. It has
the power to inspire (and persuade) and it is
ubiquitous. Put simply: it gets the word out.
In OPEN² we have divided OOH’s
persuasion into four sections: Humour Me,
Sell Me Something, Tell Me a Story and
Interact with Me. Industry leaders were
asked to provide insight into these sections
– how the challenges of advertising have
moulded careers, affected lives and ultimately
changed perspectives. We are grateful
for our contributors’ time and thoughtful
consideration of the task. The results are truly
inspiring.
Dedicating a section to humour was
an obvious choice for an industry that doesn’t
take itself too seriously. In Humour Me, Jane
Caro, writer, lecturer and media commentator,
muses on the value of ‘shocking’ audiences
and how similar we are in our reactions.
Fiona Jolly, CEO of the Advertising Standards
Bureau, writes about the important role of
OOH regulation and how humour can be used
to assuage conservative opinions. Nigel Marsh,
author and Chairman of The Leading Edge,
reminisces about his early days in advertising
and the seminal campaigns that helped
to shape his view of the world.
In Sell Me Something, Ben Colman, CEO
of 18 Feet & Rising, delves into the pop-culture
history of advertising and explores the value
of truth. Ben Coulson, CCO of GPY&R Australia
and New Zealand, contemplates the dark art
of selling juxtaposed with the reality of
consumer desire.
For Tell Me a Story, Andy Lark, former
CMO of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia
and now CEO of Group Lark, writes eloquently
about the power of OOH and the factors that
will make it even more crucial in the years
ahead. Ben Welsh, Executive Creative Director
at M&C Saatchi, tells of his experience judging
the Cannes Lions and notes that OOH is now
part of our culture, each country uniquely
represented through its advertising. Rob
Atkinson, CEO of Adshel, rounds out this
section, sharing his experiences and excitement
of working in OOH, “for more years than I care
to mention,” witnessing the sudden arrival of
huge change and opportunity.
The contributors for Interact with Me
write about the break-through campaigns that
are inspiring younger generations, such as
Coca-Cola’s Small world machines campaign
(pp. 156–157). Luke Chess, Creative Director,
MJW Australia, encourages advertisers
and marketers to strive for “meaningful
interaction” in all campaigns. John Purcell,
Commercial Director, Operations & Business
Systems for oOh! Media, highlights the value of
OOH technologies – particularly for technology
companies – and how these partnerships
will benefit consumers. Leo Roberts, Group
Marketing Manager, Integrated Marketing
Communications, Coca-Cola South Pacific,
notes that interactive technologies not only
engage the consumer, but also excite the
advertiser, providing new platforms for brands.
We have collected a diverse range
of campaigns, from billboards that purify the
air to a series of McDonald’s advertisements
(pp. 68–69) that demonstrate how a brand can
capitalise on its history. The executions come
from around the world, featuring brands you
know and love and some you may have never
heard of.
What these campaigns have in common
is that they have all been part of a cityscape,
of someone’s commute, of their weekend, their
shopping or holiday experience; they were all
part of people’s everyday lives. That’s OOH.
We present OPEN² to you for your
consideration, entertainment and inspiration.
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