The best outdoor ads of 2012
In this roundup from the Encore and Mumbrella Annual, we look back at the top outdoor ads from 2012.
1. Pedestrian Council of Australia – Girl
A girl lying on the ground with blood in the shape of earphones gives maximum impact in this ad for the Pedestrian Council of Australia from DDB Sydney. Part of a campaign to raise awareness about listening to music near traffic, the execution is clever in its simplicity, backed by the tagline ‘don’t tune out’.
2. Virgin Australia – AUS to USA
Swiping a well-deserved Gold Outdoor Lion at Cannes, this play on words hit home for Clemenger BBDO Sydney.
3. St Vincent de Paul – Steve
A great tactical idea that puts a face on homelessness for charity St Vincent De Paul from GPY&R Sydney. The painted shadow of a homeless man gets you to stop.
4. Cooper’s – Life After Dark
This campaign uses the outdoor advertising medium to its fullest. A white billboard with a bottle of Cooper’s beer stamped on it becomes a glowing comic-book illustration when the sun goes down. From KWP! Advertising, it’s a graphic and artistic nod to Melbourne’s underground ‘after dark’ graffiti culture.
5. Specsavers – Should Have Gone to Specsavers
A poster showing an image of a man who mistakes the side of a bus shelter for an ATM with the tagline ‘should have gone to specsavers’ is an engaging use of outdoor furniture with added comic value.
6. Sony Pictures Releasing – Enter the Underworld
A sidewalk optical illusion is not the typical format to market a film, but in this case it did the trick. Launched to promote the release of the fourth Underworld installment, Underworld Awakening, and drawn by artists Anton Pulvirenti and Rudy Kistler, the giant 3D image of two men balancing on a tightrope over a pit of danger is surprisingly realistic.
7. Ice Break – Billboard Drag Race
Overseen by creative heavyweight, Micah Walker, ad agency The Monkeys took two billboards advertising coffee flavoured milk Ice Break, put them on wheels and staged a drag race.
- This list first appeared in the Encore and Mumbrella Annual available in the App store and on Google Play.
