BEYOND THE TRADITIONAL
“ There ’ s never been a better time than right now to be creative , to be a game-changer , and to reinvent the [ Out-of-Home ] industry .”
Philippe Meunier
Chief Creative Officer , Senior Partner and Co-Founder , Sid Lee
It ’ s no secret marketers are desperately trying to reach the largest and most digitally savvy consumer generation in history . As of 2017 , Millennials are expected to spend more than US $ 200 billion annually , and the generation after , Gen Z , is not far behind . However , just because they ’ re always connected does not mean they ’ re always paying attention . They live in a world with information and content continuously flying at them from all directions , and , in order to cut through the clutter , marketers need to get rid of the noise and move towards new and innovative forms of communication .
So what does that mean for more conventional types of marketing – specifically Out-of-Home ( OOH ) marketing – which has traditionally been a one-way dialogue type of communication ? Well , the brutal truth is , unless OOH transforms to reflect the growing need for Millennials and Gen Zers to connect , it is in serious danger of becoming extinct . These generations belong to the ‘ experience economy ’. They want marketing that ignites conversation and engages in a meaningful dialogue . If you ’ re not creating an experience there ’ s a big chance you ’ ll get wiped out . The only way brands will survive is if they are prepared to adapt . However , this shift isn ’ t something to be afraid of , it should be seen as a creative opportunity . Right now is the perfect time to adjust current ways of doing things and realign objectives to meet this evolving reality .
At Sid Lee , one of our core beliefs is ‘ Transformation or Extinction ’. You need to provoke new ways of thinking and doing to navigate creative solutions through constantly changing competitive environments . As the next generation becomes the primary powerhouse of consumers , the only way anyone will survive in marketing is if they ’ re willing to drastically change their business model . Transition is the key . It ’ s about recognising the consumer as the medium and moving from exposure to experience . And it has to be in conversation .
When you embrace the fact that a billboard is no longer just about exposure but about connecting on a deeper level , you can really start to get creative . We ’ re seeing more and more OOH canvasses for rent : bus benches , bus shelters , highway billboards and trash cans . You can use geo-location , live-feed cams and push notifications . You can send alerts for nearby relevant businesses or adapt content depending on the weather .
However , context is everything . The consumer mind is in a constant state of flux and it ’ s crucial that OOH is adaptable and flexible in its messaging and dialogue . Let ’ s say , when you ’ re in your personal headspace waiting for the bus in the morning , you ’ re not thinking the same way you would if you were heading to a trendy area of town on a Saturday afternoon – when you ’ re thinking about shopping , exploring , or dining . It ’ s all about connectivity . In order to survive , traditional brands need to evolve in a way that uses digital communication in the right context .
For example , one particularly chilly winter , Mark ’ s , one of Canada ’ s leading apparel and footwear retailers , sought to entice consumers to leave the comfort of their warm homes and head to its stores . They looked to Sid Lee and media partner Touché ! PHD , to devise a fully integrated , weather-triggered campaign . Thus , The colder it gets ( p . 112 ) was born – a fully integrated solution that used real-time local weather feeds to automatically activate media actions in OOH , digital , Facebook , mobile and web executions across the country . The concept was simple – the lower the temperature dropped , the higher the discount of Mark ’ s products – resulting in communication that spanned multi-platform media in a context that was relevant to all targets .
In another case , hardware superstore Réno-Dépôt created Sky swatches ( p . 98 – 99 ). This ground-breaking billboard ’ s real-time orchestration was a pivotal shift in OOH technology , while at the same time being a celebration of a truly unconventional canvas . To showcase its range of paint products Réno-Dépôt chose the sky as the medium . New technology was then developed by Sid Lee Studio that could precisely match the changing hues of the horizon with signature shades from Réno-Dépôt ’ s paint catalogue , showcasing the range of options and an ever-changing colour palette . Not only did this open a dialogue with the brand , but the wow factor had people from around the world talking .
The next step in catering to this growing demand for connection is thinking beyond the traditional advertising team and gathering a multidisciplinary crew of planners , strategists , data-creative techs and architects . Of course , art directors and copywriters will always be necessary , but you need different creative minds to come together as a collective to envision an OOH result that will be interesting , captivating and immersive .
It ’ s a really exciting time to be in marketing as there is huge opportunity for brands . The reality is , when you ’ re not threatened , you ’ re not evolving . When there ’ s a threat of extinction , it ’ s a creative opportunity . It ’ s exhilarating . There ’ s never been a better time than right now to be creative , to be a game-changer , and to reinvent the industry .
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