UK’s Engine, Spinal Injuries Association get people to fast-forward ad on Disabled Access Day

In a remarkable media first for DOOH in the UK, people were actively encouraged to fast-forward an advert on Ocean’s full motion Loop network in Manchester. Created by Engine to raise awareness and funds for Spinal Injuries Association (SIA), ‘Donate to Accelerate’ was one of the winners of Ocean’s annual digital creative competition, which pushes the boundaries in DOOH using emerging creative and technical capabilities.

Filmed from a first-person perspective, the ad fully immerses people in how arduous everyday tasks are for the thousands of people who are spinal cord injured.

Timed to coincide with Disabled Access Day, the interactive donation poster campaign was launched in Manchester, supported by experiential activity.

To ensure complete authenticity, Engine commissioned films featuring two people who are spinal cord injured – Raquel Siganporia and Andrew Smart – as opposed to using actors.

In the initial full motion Loop sequence, Raquel and Andrew are seen undertaking everyday tasks, such as making a cup of tea and putting on their shoes. With a spinal cord injury, this progress is painfully slow, making for excruciating viewing. The advert then invites passers-by to accelerate their rehabilitation by donating £2 to SIA, using an in-built contactless card reader to fast forward the ad.

Without a donation, the agonising struggle continues. When a donation is made, the struggle instantly fast-forwards to the moment when the task is successfully completed. This visual demonstration shows how, over time and with the support of SIA, people who are spinal cord injured can rebuild their lives.

Engine has built a bespoke tech solution paired with the card reader that allows the advertising content to respond to donations in real time, facilitated by Ocean Labs.

The activity is supported on the day by charity ambassadors.

Ross Newton, creative director, Engine Creative & Experience Design, said: “It’s an idea that welcomes participation. The very act of donating is the way that you interact and gives you an immediate understanding of how your donation will benefit people who have sustained a spinal cord injury. It’s not enough to just ask people to help nowadays, you need to show them how they can help. That’s why we created an interactive donation poster rather than a brand messaging poster.”

Nik Hartley OBE, chief executive of Spinal Injuries Association, said: “We hope the interactive advert will help people gain a small insight into the challenges of living with spinal cord injury, and most importantly encourage support to spinal cord injured people by demonstrating how their help makes a life changing difference.”

Helen Haines, Ocean head of marketing, said: “This campaign brilliantly illustrates the support SIA provides, accelerating people’s progress towards independence and making the everyday achievable again. This is the first time we have fast-forwarded a DOOH ad. The whole idea is subtle, clever and imaginative, making it a worthy winner of Ocean’s digital creative competition.”