TOP 5: the most interesting OOH campaigns of 2023

The year 2023 is behind us, so we can summarize and highlight the most interesting OOH (Out-of-Home) campaigns of 2023. Here are a few examples from both the Polish and international markets that particularly caught our attention.

1, “Barbie”. You might have already read about the box office success of Barbie on our blog. The entire campaign for the film was based on OOH, so it’s obvious that this campaign had to be included in our list. Among all the activities, it’s hard to highlight just one, but Barbie coming out of a box against the backdrop of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai is certainly something that this country had not seen before.

2. “Don’t sleep, or they will vote without you!”. On October 15, 2023, historic parliamentary elections were held. Historic, because a record voter turnout was achieved. Bravo Poles! But this success was partly due to the campaign “Don’t sleep, or they will vote without you!”. Many Polish cities joined the campaign. In addition to billboards and graphics displayed on DOOH (Digital Out-of-Home) carriers, murals also appeared. However, the most interesting idea was the wandering 3D alarm clock. The clock showed the time remaining until the elections, and additionally, this device traveled around Poland, appearing in the most frequented places. In Katowice, the local Korez theater organized a happening where the theater director lay in a bed set next to the clock.

3. Marks&Spencer – Love Thismas. This clothing brand’s campaign, instead of focusing on showcasing its clothes (which of course do appear, but are not the main focus), emphasizes the idea that the holidays should be spent as one wishes, not as tradition dictates. Featuring popular personalities in the UK (including singer Sophie Ellis-Baxtor) increased interest in the campaign. One might say it was a slightly controversial campaign, considering most companies focus on maintaining traditions and spending time with family. The campaign included a promotional spot on YouTube, preceded by billboards.

4. Bic – Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg. Now for a humorous touch in our ranking, with the BiC brand campaign promoting lighters. The campaign features two stars with completely different lifestyles. It includes the organized and universally loved Martha Stewart, using a lighter to light a candle and create a pleasant atmosphere at home, and Snoop Dogg, who uses it… for other purposes 😉. The campaign aimed not only to promote the brand’s products but also referenced the ongoing campaign in the USA at that time, which aimed at legalizing marijuana. Well, BiC’s stance on this issue seemed quite clear 😊.

5. Surreal and Their Fake Celebrities. What to do if you can’t afford to hire celebrities for your ads? Use their lookalikes. Or in this case, just their names. The breakfast cereal brand Surreal found people who share names with famous athletes, actors, and other celebrities to promote their cereals and encourage purchases. Simple graphics showcasing the cereals and short sentences like, “Serena Williams eats our cereal,” appeared on billboards, bus shelter posters, and social media. Below it, there was a note: “Serena is a student from London, and yes, we pay her to eat our cereal, but she likes it even without being paid.” Kudos for honesty in the campaign and for utilizing the psychological phenomenon known as social proof.