Thursday, March 28, 2024

Advertisement
Home » Digital OOH » Engine, VCCP bag top prizes in Ocean’s 10th annual digital creative competition

Engine, VCCP bag top prizes in Ocean’s 10th annual digital creative competition

By M4G Bureau - October 11, 2019

The Royal Navy, Amnesty International UK, Ancestry, Mars, Inc and Stonewall are among this year’s winners

Engine and VCCP have been awarded the top prizes in Ocean Outdoor’s 10th annual digital creative competition, recognising campaigns they have been created for the Royal Navy and Amnesty International UK.

Engine takes the top brand prize with Sniper, an interactive recruitment campaign for the Royal Navy which uses Ocean’s clever LookOut interactive technology to challenge players to a game of stealth. The aim is to pinpoint the Royal Marines Commando hidden within a rugged jungle environment before they find you in a tense countdown against the clock.

Created by VCCP, the charity first prize went to Amnesty International UK for The Sentencing Billboard, an interactive display which used body scanning technology to identify what sort of crimes people are in danger of committing in other countries where there is less freedom of expression.

For the first time this year there were prizes also for concepts created specifically for the scale and presence of the iconic Piccadilly Lights which are operated by Ocean on behalf of Landsec.

The winners in this category are Anomaly London for Ancestry, a nostalgic treat which showed how people could discover their own past by sending the dynamic Piccadilly screen itself back in time to bygone days when the area was a collection of illuminated hoardings and historical signs.

The charity prize in this category was awarded to Mr President for Show the World, a live stream which united the world with an LGBT+ kiss to symbolise and celebrate 30 years of Stonewall.

Also read | DOOH content followed by ads 5.1x more engaging: Ocean study

Commenting on the winners, Ocean Outdoor head of marketing and events Helen Haines said: “What is apparent from this year’s winners is how many of the concepts reflect the evolving role of DOOH within our cities and the significance of our advertising channel as a platform of influence.

“More than ever this year, Ocean’s competition aligns with our Digital Cities for Digital Citizens philosophy which is about connecting directly with audiences in the here and now to effect positive change, help them make decisions which make a difference or simply entertain them with the very best, memorable, interactive live brand experiences.” 

In the biggest ever spread of wins, with 10 awards going to 10 different agencies, other prizes were awarded to Southpaw for Diageo; Kinetic WW for B&Q; Wonderhood Studios for Global Action Plan & Public Health England; and Atomic for Cancer Research UK.

Ocean also called for ideas which align brands and charities with its Ocean for Oceans initiative which is using Ocean screens to turn the global tide on plastic to help prevent the pollution the world’s seas.

The two winners in this category are Revolt London for Mars, Inc and AGCS for Plastic Whale.

Competition was stiff, with 142 entries which were judged by a panel of 18 advertising industry experts. The awards were presented before an invited audience at London’s IMAX on October 10.

Eight of the winners share a £650,000 prize pot and the chance for their work to be showcased across Ocean’s iconic UK DOOH locations. An undisclosed “money can’t buy” opportunity goes to the two winning Piccadilly Lights concepts. 

The Winners

First Prize: Sniper
Brand: The Royal Navy
Agency: Engine

This interactive recruitment game simulates Stealth, the Royal Marines’ famous state-of-mind, by inviting participants to spot the sniper camouflaged by rugged terrain in a tense 60 second countdown against the clock. To do this, participants stand on a designated red spot in front the screen. Ocean’s clever LookOut technology tracks their gazes as they are locked into a target controlled by their eye movements. The challenge is to find the sniper hidden somewhere on the digital screen and discover your own inner Commando. The judges said: “This is a really nice idea which is completely aligned with their business objectives. It speaks to one person, but everyone can get involved.”

Second Prize: Walk The Line
Brand: Diageo
Agency: Southpaw

This interactive game delivers a responsible message to people about how to drink safely and wisely in the UK’s party capitals. Situated in DOOH spaces close to clubs and bars, Walk The Line features a digital “pavement” which invites people to walk along a line - the classic sobriety test. Depending on how much they veer off course, the screen gives real time feedback, offering helpful advice, important information about alcohol and where they can grab a cab home. The judges said: “This is localised, experiential and a clever way for the brand to get across its message by putting a person at the heart of the experience.”

Third Prize: Bee&Q
Brand: B&Q
Agency: Kinetic WW 

Informed by data drawn from local beehives, B&Q supports bee colonies by offering price promotions on plants which are required in local neighbourhoods to support biodiversity. B&Q plans to support the installation of a national beehive network and encourage the purchasing and planting of bee friendly plants particularly in areas where they are sparse.
The judges said: “The pulling together of data for a sales promotion which is tailored to build affinity with B&Q is also very buzz-worthy.”

Charities

First Prize: The Sentencing Bill
Charity: Amnesty International UK
Agency: VCCP

In some countries, freedom of expression, such as wearing a headscarf or displaying tattoos, is forbidden in law. To highlight places in the world where such individuality is repressed, Amnesty International uses an interactive billboard to highlight crimes you might be committing if you were in one of those countries. Passers-by can pose for and then appear in the billboard along with annotations to highlight what about their appearance could be illegal abroad. Designed to provoke conversation, stills will be posted online so that participants can share and discuss their sentences. The judges said: “Using people as part of the campaign is so impactful. The idea of seeing what you just take for granted is really strong.”

Second Prize: The Breathable Billboard
Charity: Global Action Plan supported by Public Health England
Agency: Wonderhood Studios

Designed to promote Clean Air Day, the breathable billboard is a visual incentive fronted by Coco the canary, a familiar toxic air emblem. On the screens, the bird responds in real time to local air pollution levels which are drawn from the Daily Air Quality Index. When pollution is low, the screens are bright and clear and the bird is active, but when levels are toxic, the screen grows sooty and Coco struggles to fly. The activity is linked to the Clean Air Hub where people can learn more. The judges said: “Out of home is part of the fabric of our cities and that’s why this campaign works.”

Third Prize: The Right Now Billboard
Charity: Cancer Research UK
Agency: Atomic

A real time DOOH screen powers contactless donations using a live video stream to connect people who stop and donate directly with actual patients who will benefit from their gift. Each patient will respond with a spoken “thank-you”, making each donation more personal and meaningful by giving a glimpse into the work of Cancer Research UK. The judges said: “This campaign is a genuine step-up and twist on what has been done before.”

Piccadilly Lights

Brand: Ancestry
Campaign: The Old Piccadilly Lights
Agency: Anomaly London

For one evening only, Ancestry turns the clock back on the famous Piccadilly Lights, taking the advertising space back in time from full motion to the age of neon and all the way back to a time when there were no lights. The end frame directs people to Ancestry where they can bring their own back story to life. The judges said: “This is beautifully thought through. The message goes so well with the idea.”

Charity: Stonewall
Campaign: Show The World
Agency: Mr President

To mark 30 years of Stonewall, the charity set up to fight a piece of UK legislation banning “the intentional promotion of homosexuality”, Anomaly London uses one of the world’s most famous digital advertising screens to live stream LGBT+ kisses to other billboards across the world. Show The World is the world’s first live global OOH campaign. The judges said: “The compelling thing about this is the idea to do something that should never have been illegal by putting it on the biggest billboard in the world. The idea is super simple, but on this scale it definitely works.”

Ocean for Oceans

Campaign: Live Dive
Brand: Mars, Inc.
Agency: Revolt London

This campaign shines a spotlight on Mars, Inc’s sustainability plan to save endangered coral reefs by successfully regrowing three hectares in the Philippines using small structures called spiders. Live Dive uses a video link to connect DOOH screens in high footfall areas to divers waiting under the ocean. They respond in real time to public signals to plant a new spider. All the audience has to do is give the recognised “OK” diver’s hand gesture. The judges said: “This will be just fascinating to see and people will watch it for some considerable time.”

Campaign: Ocean Cleanup Interactive Game
Charity: Plastic Whale
Agency: AGCS

People are invited to connect via their mobile device to a screen to play an interactive clean-up game to collect discarded plastic from an ocean scene. The fact that the game is unwinnable raises awareness about the dire need to act now to stop the plastic tide. The judges said: “The game delivers an important message in a creative way.”

For more updates, subscribe to media4growth newsletter - Click here

Advertisement

Related News

You May Also Like

Advertisement
Advertisement
Have You Say
Advertisement