A sphere of influence; will digital OOH last as a canvas for creativity?

When the Formula 1 Grand Prix hit Las Vegas recently, we all got a better glimpse at what has to be one of this year’s biggest innovations – the MSG Sphere. 

Beyond the usual content that it has hosted since its launch – eyeballs, tennis balls and various animated abstractions – for the Grand Prix, The Sphere was actually functional too; used as a multi-screen so fans could watch the race. It was also lit up red during the red flag periods, and even showed a checkerboard flag animation at the end of the race.

At a rumoured price tag of $450,000 per day, [The Sphere] is also an incredible achievement in prohibitive cost. 

The fact that it has become a cultural phenomenon suggests we’re in for exciting times ahead for digital out-of-home. And while I think we’ve yet to see a really clever ad on The Sphere (although, I do love that giant yellow emoji face which overlooks the city), it’s an incredible achievement in engineering and architecture. At a rumoured price tag of $450,000 per day, it’s also an incredible achievement in prohibitive cost. 

Above: If the idea is clever and can be supported by a DOOH screen, it’s not a fad... it’s just great advertising.

It’s no wonder we’ve also seen a rise of the less expensive FOOH (Faux Out-Of-Home). It’s easy to see the benefits. At Ntropic and Not Just Any, we’ve recently created a 'deep screen' work for WhatsApp at Piccadilly Circus and a FOOH for Penhaligons. Both were wonderfully successful in their own rights, but one project cost ten times less than the other, while having similar reach and views. 

And while some question the longevity of these new DOOH approaches, I don’t think DOOH itself is a fad at all - just like static outdoor billboards weren’t a fad. It’s simply a new use of an outdoor stage/theatre. There’s a large amount of giant digital screens out there, and all those screens need content.

If the idea is clever and can be supported by a DOOH screen, it’s not a fad... it’s just great advertising. 

Even arguing that the content of DOOH screens can potentially be ‘faddish’ feels off. Yes, people will eventually get bored of their products ‘popping out’ of the screen, which accounts for the majority of recent DOOH activations. However, just like the acclaimed Marmite and Specsavers OOH ads, if the idea is clever and can be supported by a DOOH screen, it’s not a fad... it’s just great advertising. 

I have to laugh when I hear people talk about 'deep screens' as being some new, shiny thing – a passing phase. In truth, they have been around since the mid 16th century with Han’s Holbein The Younger's The Ambassadors  an example of anamorphosis, and there are countless other examples. The question is not whether DOOH and these approaches to DOOH content will last, but how we can use this opportunity to spur future DOOH creativity and innovation. 

Above: This DOOH poster for British Airways, which is more than 10 years old, was engaging because it gave the illusion of being interactive.

Pushing things further

I think that most new technologies seem ‘faddish’ when they first emerge. We are primal beings, inherently curious and drawn to the shiny new thing. It makes sense for brands to jump on the latest fad and use it to their perceived advantage; whether to come across as being trend-setting, world-beating or (more controversially) as a way of self-validation. Often, chasing fads seems like an answer to a brand’s internal search for relevance and purpose. 

Chasing fads seems like an answer to a brand’s internal search for relevance and purpose. 

The solution to brands’ current excitement for DOOH tricks is to avoid the latest trend just to feel like you’re 'keeping up with the Joneses'. Unless you have something new to say, or have a brilliant idea which is enhanced by a DOOH screen, it may fall flat and just end up costing even more. 

Just like traditional OOH, the best DOOH ads are the simple ones with effective storytelling which make an impact. I’m thinking of work like BBH’s Tesco’s Ramadan screen and the old classic for British Airways [above], which was engaging because it gave the illusion of being interactive. Similarly, we’re now seeing some really interesting DOOH ads which are interactive like recent work for McDonald’s, using simple weather and location data to adjust the ad during the day. These are the creative uses that will help the medium avoid stagnation.