Campaigns that revived OOH in the year of the pandemic

Looking at some of the biggest OOH campaigns of 2020 that reiterated brands' trust in the billboard medium The OOH industry took a hit in 2020 due to reduced footfalls brought on by the COVID-19 lockdown. Roads were left vacant in the initial months from March to June’20

by Noel D'souza
Published - January 05, 2021
4 minutes To Read
Campaigns that revived OOH in the year of the pandemic

Looking at some of the biggest OOH campaigns of 2020 that reiterated brands' trust in the billboard medium The OOH industry took a hit in 2020 due to reduced footfalls brought on by the COVID-19 lockdown. Roads were left vacant in the initial months from March to June’20. This led to zero visibility and zero filings for the OOH sector in Q1. However, as the lockdown eased out, brands who recognized the potency of OOH in their media plan were back spending on the billboard medium. In a bid to revive the sector, some OOH owners had even offered a 30% discount. From OTT to FMCG from Automobiles to Retail, here are some of the noteworthy OOH campaigns of 2020 that against all odds began spending on OOH. ZEEL’s #13thJulykiTayyari

ZEEL and Laqshya Media Group conceptualized an OOH teaser campaign in July 2020. The intent behind the campaign sparked a lot of curiosity on social media due to the tagline #13JulyKiTayyari. The motive was to create awareness about ZEEL’s new content roster by partnering with leading CPG brands like Nestle Maggi, Amul Lassi, PepsiCo, Red Label, Cadbury Dairy Milk and ITC Dark Fantasy Mondelez India #KhanGayiCadbury In keeping with the trend of piquing consumer curiosity, Modelez India conceptualised #KahanGayiCadbury to launch their new Cadbury Chocobakes Choc Layered Cakes. The campaign successfully integrated OOH with digital to instil better brand recognition. The 360-degree campaign featured Cadbury bars without the logo on billboards and social media, with the question: #KahanGayiCadbury. The campaign, which even roped in celebs, piqued interest amongst consumers. Skechers D’lites flex The global sports and lifestyle brand executed an iconic campaign in November 2020 with Street Talk. The campaign, in line with the tagline #OriginalsKeepMoving, aimed to set an example as they teamed up with three professional female mountaineers for an OOH activity in Mumbai. The female athletes executed a herculean task of installing the Skechers D’lites flex over a billboard at a prominent location in Mahim Garden, Mumbai. They scaled a height of 35 feet, carrying a 70-pound flex, and draping it across an 800 sq. ft canvas. Tanishq The festive season was a welcome respite for consumers and brands alike. To truly celebrate the spirit of festivals, Tanishq, inspired by the theme of ‘Oneness’, executed the special Ekatvam campaign in 10 cities in India. It was launched on the 16th of October and was a part of their 360-degree campaign for the new festive collection. The massive OOH campaign encompassed an area of 1,52,000 sq ft of OOH media to create maximum impact and reach the target audience. ŠKODA In association with Times OOH, The Max & PHD Media, ŠKODA Auto unveiled their all-new Superb & Karoq at the Mumbai Airport. This campaign was executed when Mumbai airport was witnessing high passenger traffic growth after the unlock. There was an overall increase in passenger confidence along with the rise of premium and business travellers. By opting for the most premium promotional space at Terminal 2, the brand took a first-mover approach in the category post reinstatement of the market to target the growing premium and business air travellers at T2, Mumbai Airport. PHD Media & The MAX (Tribes & Mudra Group Venture) has worked closely with the brand to conceptualize the campaign. In the automobile category, much of the buying choice is driven by the technology, precision and features that one has to offer. Hence, the brand chose a promotional space and a versatile location located in the high dwell retail zone - just after the security check catering to 100% departing traffic. APPL’s first OOH Campaign by Posterscope India Posterscope’s first campaign for Amalgamated Plantations (P) Ltd (A TATA Enterprise) deserves a special mention. The motive to launch a new product under the franchise ‘Majuli Mist First Flush Roasted Tea’. The OOH campaign was executed in Kolkata with the message: ‘Chumukei Paan, Shohorer Praan’ which translates to ‘Taste Your City In Every Sip’.

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