Author Archive for Neal Spencer – Page 2

Emoji Billboards Change with Surroundings

 

Emojis are everywhere these days and digital billboards are no exception!  With the release of the Emoji movie over the weekend, the little characters went from our smart phones to the big screen. Even if you didn’t want to see the movie, with the heavy marketing campaign for it, you no doubt knew it was coming out.

Part of that marketing campaign put the little guys on digital billboards.  But the cool part about that was that the billboards were able to interact with their surroundings.  The campaign used the latest technology to display an Emoji that best represented the emotion of the people within view of the billboard.  For example, the technology was able to determine if traffic was backed up near the digital billboard or if it was raining.  If those unfavorable conditions were present, the Emoji reflected that, with the billboard showing either the devil, “meh” emoji, or even the “poop.”

On the flip side, if the traffic was flowing or the sun shining, a high five Emoji or a smiling face Emoji would come up on the display.  The billboard campaign ran in major cities all over the U.S., including here in Atlanta, as well as in Chicago, Orlando, Seattle, Dallas, Phoenix, and Boston.

Although the movie did well in its opening weekend, the reviews were less than stellar.  Many critics agreed that it was a waste of spectacular voice talents, that included Sophia Vergara, Stephen Wright, Patrick Stewart, Sean Hayes, Maya Rudolph, and Christina Aguilera.

A Rivalry in the Making?

It’s the first time that Atlanta United and Orlando City will face off in a match, but some are already billing the two teams as rivals.  Coaches and management for both teams are saying that label is jumping the gun a bit, but fans and others associated with the team seem ready roll with it.

The team did buy billboard space in Orlando for some fun trash talk ahead of the match, but Atlanta United manager Gerardo Martino says because this is the first time the teams play each other, they aren’t considered rivals.  Martino says, “We will see over time if it develops into a rivalry, but today it doesn’t feel like that.”

Orlando City’s coach, Jason Kreis, agrees.  He says, “I’m one (who) believes that rivalries are intrinsic, meaning they happen through experiences. It would be premature to be talking about whether or not they are our rival. We shall see, starting with the first 15 minutes of the match.”

The rivalry talk may be due in part to the proximity of the two cities.  They are just a 6 hour drive apart, the closest of any two teams in the league.  Officials say league expansion isn’t out of the question, in cities like Nashville and Charlotte, so that could change in the future.

Fans have taken to social media to trash talk all week ahead of the match.  They seem just fine calling the teams rivals, despite this being their first meeting.  Atlanta United team President Darren Eales is doing his part to encourage a win.  He tweeted a photo of one of the scoreboards at the team’s future home, Mercedes Benz Stadium.  The score was shown as Atlanta United 6, Orlando City 0.  Eales’ text read: “Pitch side scoreboard appears to be working” (with a winking emoji).

The stadium is not quite finished yet, so the team’s home remains at Georgia Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium for now.  Atlanta United and Orlando City will meet there next week.  The first face off between the teams is tonight at 7pm in Orlando.

Selfies for a Good Cause

 

Our society’s obsession with selfies can now be used for a good cause!  National Geographic Society has partnered with media outlets around the country to launch its “Photo Ark” campaign. The launch took place back on May 19, which is Endangered Species Day, in New York’s Times Square.  Photos of several endangered species appeared on bus shelters and billboards around the city. People who took a selfie with them and uploaded it to the website were featured on a digital billboard high above the city.

But if you missed it, don’t worry, you didn’t totally miss out.  The images of the endangered species are still being featured on various forms of out of home venues around the country.  If you find one and take a selfie with it, share it with your network, using the #SaveTogether tag.  Then upload it to the National Geographic website for display there.

The campaign aims to bring awareness to the Photo Ark project and its mission…to save the endangered species around the world.  The campaign features images from Nat Geo photographer Joel Sartoe.  Photos can be found on bus shelters, mall kiosks, in subway stations as well as on traditional billboards.  Some of the featured cities include San Francisco, Austin and Chicago.

Poe Moving on from OAAG

Conner Poe has been at the helm of the Outdoor Association of Georgia (OAAG) for nearly a decade, and now he’s found his next challenge.  Poe has accepted the position of Resident Vice President of Government Affairs with Norfolk Southern Railway.  Poe became President and CEO of OAAG in September 2007.

He says he’s proud of his time spent at OAAG because several pro active measures were passed in that time.  Those measures focused on transit advertising, relocation of signs, and a huge overhaul of the highway vegetation program in 2011.  Poe says he thinks his biggest accomplishment was changing the image of the outdoor advertising industry in the state of Georgia.  “Outdoor advertisers in our state are now seen as a community partner,” Poe said.  “We answer the call when law enforcement, GDOT, and emergency management needs us.  Our assists are a vital tool for these folks if and when a community emergency occurs.”   Poe is referring to a public/private partnership that allows digital billboards to broadcast information in real time.  The high tech system was most recently used to alert motorists to weather warnings when snow and ice threatened Atlanta and areas to the north last week.

Poe says he passed on several other opportunities during his time with OAAG, but the timing for this one just felt right.  “I cherished my time with OAAG and the life long friends I will take from it.  I would never have had the opportunity that I am moving into now without the support and backing of those in the Outdoor Advertising Industry.

This is Poe’s last week with the OAAG.  Congratulations on your new position and best wishes with Norfolk Southern!

Transit Billboard First of its Kind in Boston

Anyone who has ever taken public transit to an event to avoid traffic can appreciate Boston’s newest digital billboard.  A huge screen has been installed outside of Fenway Park that tells sports fans when the next round of public transit is expected to arrive.  The screen displays the schedules for the city’s trains, buses and even the number of bikes available at a nearby ride share kiosk.

While there are more than 50 smaller screens in use for the same purpose around the city, this is the first outdoor one, as well as the largest.  The smaller screens can be found in bars and restaurants, as well as some apartment buildings and public facilities.  The idea for the screens came from a Washington DC based startup, called TransitScreen.  Their usual clients include real estate developers or other businesses who would like to include public transit information inside their buildings.  This Fenway Park board represents a new business venture that the company hopes to replicate in other cities.  Ryan Croft is TransitScreen’s cofounder.  He says, “If you go to a baseball game and you’ve been drinking, we want to be able to promote mass transit.”

Orange Barrel Media in Columbus, Ohio owns the board.  The mass transit information displayed on the board is designed to draw more attention to the screen by offering non advertising content, along with advertisements. Pete Scantland, a chief executive at Orange Barrel, says they are trying to add value to the screen, so people will want to look.  He says, “Think of it like television.  If there was no program between commercials, there would be a lot less viewers.”

Scantland says early next year, the company plans to expand the TransitScreen service to allow anyone within 200 feet of a board to have access to the information on their smart phone. It will also allow the visually impaired to get the information audibly.

No word on whether the service will make its way south and be on display on an Atlanta digital billboard.

Outdoor Ads Give Commuters a Break

massaging-billboards

The agencies charged with launching the Kit Kat bar in a new market last year did so in a memorable new way…When the candy bar launched in Columbia, rather than have teams give samples to busy passersby, Mindspring and J. Walter Thompson decided to use bus shelter billboards to take the slogan used for the candy, “Give me a break,” to a whole new level.

The agencies transformed 20 bus shelters around the capital city of Bogota into massage stations.  Tiny motors in the signs activated a system that transferred vibrations to the lower and upper back of anyone who leaned on the sign.

The idea was to give stressed out commuters a “break” tying into the Kit Kat slogan of “Have a break, have a Kit Kat.”

While some may have found the campaign to be a little too “touchy feely,” it seemed to be well received by most.  Everyone from suit clad daily commuters to construction workers took advantage of the quick massage.

No word on if the campaign will be revived here in the States, but surely commuters in Atlanta could use a quick massage to help with stress as well!  A few samples of the delicious Kit Kat bars wouldn’t hurt either!

 

Mississippi State Thanks Former Player with Billboards

missippi-state-billboard

 

Mississippi State wished a former standout well as he prepared to make his debut in the NFL…Dak Prescott was the school’s quarterback from 2013-2015 before he was drafted to the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round as the 135th pick, making him the highest drafted quarterback in MSU’s history.

Mississippi State put up several digital billboards around the Dallas Fort Worth area to let him know “wherever you go, we are with you.”  Prescott was the starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys yesterday as they faced the New York Giants.  Unfortunately, the billboard campaign was not enough to start the Cowboys off with a win, they fell to the Giants by one point with a score of 20-19.

Prescott carried the Bulldogs to a number one overall ranking during his tenure…the first in the school’s history. He also holds 38 records at the school and helped them win two bowl games, the Auto Zone Liberty Bowl in 2013 and the Belk Bowl in 2015.

The billboard campaign is the school’s response to a letter written to Sports Illustrated magazine earlier this year in which Prescott thanked the school.

Billboards Show Support for Police

Law enforcement billboards

Digital billboards around the state have been showing a message of support for law enforcement for nearly a month now.  The Outdoor Advertising Association of Georgia (OAAG) is behind the campaign…President and CEO Connor Poe says the OAAG board has been considering doing a campaign like this for several years, but a public service campaign isn’t something companies normally do on their own.

Poe says, “The board of the OAAG is always looking for ways to use our medium to show appreciation for those in our state who we partner with to make the state a safer place, i.e. GEMA, GBI, FBI and local law enforcement.”  Often times, digital billboards are used to get the word out about missing persons or wanted fugitives.

Law enforcement seems to appreciate the message.  Lt. Allan Rollins with the Richmond County  Sheriff’s Office says, “It’s nice to know we have support from the community and that people are willing to spend time and money to show it.”

Other ways they’ve felt the appreciation over the last several weeks is in the form of prayers, balloons, baked goods or just pats on the back.

The billboard campaign started at the beginning of August and the message has been seen on hundreds of billboards throughout the state.

Campaign Urges Drivers Not to Text

Texting billboard

While most billboard campaigns aim to increase business, a recent one in Texas is trying for just the opposite.  Lucas Funeral Home in Fort Worth is trying to keep people alive by trying to discourage drivers from texting.  Although fatalities from drunk driving are higher, deaths from distracted drivers in Texas is on the rise and quickly closing in.  Nearly 29 percent of traffic fatalities in Texas can be attributed to drunk driving, while distracted drivers are faulted in 14% of fatal accidents.  That statistic is even higher in the Fort Worth area, at 16.9%.

A spokesman for Lucas Funeral Homes, Mark Lucas-Kelly, says that the message is dark humor, but not intended to be disrespectful.  Lucas-Kelly says, “We see families when they are going through the toughest times of their lives.  You could call us ‘the last responders’ in a way.  But even though it’s somewhat humorous and catchy, we are 100% sincere about the message.  Please don’t do it.”

Other safety advocates are taking a much darker and shocking approach to convincing people to stop texting while driving.  A video production company in Arlington created a 4 minute public service announcement based on a real distracted driving accident that claimed the life of a child.  In the video, a man and his infant daughter are hit while walking on a sidewalk after a distracted driver hits a van, causing it to veer off the road.  The dad is injured, but upon seeing his deceased child, grabs the baby’s body and takes it to the driver, telling her to “Look at what you’ve done!” The family on which it is based was consulting in the making of the video, although some details were changed in the making of it.

Texas is one of four states that does not have a blanket ban on texting and driving.  Georgia has had one in place since 2010.

 

 

“Ghostbusters” Movie Becomes Reality in London

Ghostbusters London

 

If you grew up in the 80’s, the “Ghostbusters” movie was most likely on your Top Ten favorite movie list…and now that the movie is back with a female cast, Sony Pictures wanted to make a big impact with its advertising.  When the movie launched in London last month, a busy rail station was made over to bring the movie to life.  The centerpiece of the stunt was a Stay Puft marshmallow man busting up through the floor, while 26 foot slime poles “dripped” down from the ceiling at Waterloo Station.  At the base of the slime poles, vinyl “drops” were placed, alerting interested passersby of a great spot  to get the perfect angle for a memorable selfie.  Some of the walls were also wrapped to look like a station in New York, where the movie is set.  Eerie music was piped through the station to round out the atmosphere.

The brains behind the stunt were folks that grew up fans of the original “Ghostbusters” movie, now working for the ad agencies JCDecaux and Feref, which partnered with Sony Pictures for the campaign.  Stacey Knight, Director at JCDecaux Blue, says the team’s light bulb moment came at the beginning of the talks with Sony. “This is where we can actually make mine, and I’m sure so many other people’s, childhood dream of being an actual Ghostbuster come true,” Knight said.  “Thus, we landed at the core idea of creating an environment where the movie was a reality,” Knight concluded.

The decor at the Waterloo Station was just one part of the campaign that ran throughout the UK for the launch of the movie.  Digital screens in malls and other rail stations ran ads promoting the movie. On the JCDecaux digital out of home network, fake news stories of ghostly sightings were aired.

Although it probably goes without saying, people loved the campaign…hundreds of photos were posted on Twitter and videos on YouTube garnered over 130,000 views.