Bermuda Tourism Authority is testing 3D digital out-of-home (DOOH) technology to stand out in one of the busiest, brightest locations on the planet — Times Square — to launch their new campaign, “Lost Yet Found.”
The 3D execution, developed by OUTFRONT Media for their premium Times Square inventory, includes a number of pop-out elements on the giant screen. Onlookers from the street are shown a billowy sail boat, daring cliff diver, floppy whale’s tail and 3D-rendered lettering spelling out where shivering northerners can find these warm adventures — Bermuda.
Seasonal push. The new campaign, “Lost Yet Found,” began rolling out this fall in New York, Toronto and Miami, which are primary markets, as well as secondary markets such as Dallas, Vancouver and Atlanta. Video, social media and other digital channels are in the mix, as well as out-of-home. The campaign was created by Boston-based agency Proverb, with additional creative duties carried out by Burnt House Productions, an agency based in Bermuda.
“We want travelers to learn things about the island they haven’t necessarily seen or heard about,” said Jamari Douglas, vice president of marketing, PR and communications for Bermuda Tourism Authority.
Actionable DOOH. While the eye-catching graphics in the Times Square ad are intended to make busy New Yorkers stop in their tracks, and maybe take out their phones, record and share out the spectacle, there are also important calls to action. The ad isn’t a one-off, it’s part of a journey.
The video is accompanied by a QR code throughout the 15-second ad, which is in regular rotation above McDonald’s on Broadway. Viewers are encouraged to learn more about all of Bermuda’s attractions by going to the dedicated website, GoToBermuda.com. The ad also closes with one of the best selling points for New Yorkers who are short on time. Bermuda is a 90-minute flight from JFK.
“We wanted to showcase Bermuda as a viable destination with a proximity message, but also show what’s on the island and not necessarily talked about, or show it in a different way,” Douglas said.
Everybody knows about Bermuda’s beaches, so the aim of the campaign was to highlight other activities to boost even more interest. And the advertiser chose 3D DOOH in New York as an innovative way to tell this unheard of story, Douglas explained.
Why we care. DOOH transformation has accelerated since the pandemic. The adoption of programmatic DOOH allows media planners to integrate this medium into the mix of a multi-channel campaign much more easily than in the old days when ad schedules were lined up on spreadsheets.
Dig deeper: Digital out-of-home branches out with programmatic
One other advantage to out-of-home ads is that they can become their own attraction. They aren’t just part of a campaign, they can be an event or focal point that generates buzz. The Bermuda 3D ad in New York is supported by other DOOH placements throughout the city. And the advertiser expects that as a result of social sharing, many more digital users will be exposed to the ad beyond the in-person Times Square foot traffic and cab riders.
Brands breaking into 3D DOOH. Bermuda Tourism Authority also wanted to show their creativity by being first-to-market as the first travel destination to launch this kind of 3D ad. And since this is breaking new ground, they wanted the test to be data-driven.
OUTFRONT’s dedicated group, XLabs, is tasked with innovating DOOH as the world opens up after pandemic lockdowns.
“There was been a lot of backchannel work and a digital build-out,” said OUTFRONT’s Chief Marketing Officer, Jodi Senese. “We fast-tracked this over the last couple years, while people have gotten more socially engaged. The convergence of those two — social media and out-of-home — are tremendous bedfellows.”
DOOH is also responding to, and measuring, behavioral changes seen since the pandemic. For instance, people were beginning to use QR codes more once they began using them for common tasks like restaurant menus, Senese said.
“DOOH ads are allowing us to have new conversations redirected from other channels,” explained XLabs VP, head of digital creative Chad Shackelford. “We’re not just bowling them over but really enticing them. And we’re just scratching the surface with new levels of interactivity.”
DOOH creative in the Bermuda campaign will be triggered by weather, for instance. But part of the test with this new campaign will be other live triggers in real-time based on contextual relevance.
While travelers are learning more about a destination they thought they knew, Bermuda’s campaign will be learning from what gains attention online and out on the street.
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