“Offensive” ad campaign banned for showing US dollars burning
An OOH campaign that included US dollars and euro notes burning has been banned by the ASA, which claimed that the posters could cause offense to tourists visiting from abroad
We look at a collection of creative signage campaigns taking place at Christmas this year, featuring brands like Coca-Cola, Fortnum & Mason, and Boursin
As Christmas approaches, SignLink has collected together some notable festive campaigns in the UK out-of-home (OOH) and digital out-of-home (DOOH) world, demonstrating creative ways that agencies have incorporated the holiday season into their campaigns.
French cheese company Boursin collaborated with OOH agency JACK to bring a cheeseboard to life in an eye-catching OOH campaign.
Teaming up with the creative OOH department of media agency, St Marks Studio, JACK created two larger-than-life cheeseboards at Shoreditch’s 1 Quaker Street and Westminster Bridge, both in London.
The 48-sheet billboard, which used a range of “cut-out” features to mimic a 3D effect, represented a fully laden charcuterie board with Boursin cheese as the centrepiece.
The Quaker Street display also features tear-away recipe cards, inviting passersby to take home ideas of how to use Boursin in their own Christmas cooking.
JACK is a subsidiary of parent company BUILDHOLLYWOOD, specialising in brand promotion campaigns. Its declared mission statement is: “We combine the visceral, human context of the streets with the power and scale of what we offer to elevate our client's street campaigns and ensure they connect with the right audience.”
Speaking of the campaign in an official release, JACK says: “Is this our cheesiest build so far? You brie the judge.”
Heather Williams, account director at St Marks Studio, continues: “This is more than an ad: it’s an experience.
“Extraordinary begins when creativity meets indulgence, and this campaign epitomises the joy of festive moments made unforgettable with Boursin. By bringing the brand to life in such an extraordinary way, we’re reminding consumers why Boursin is the ultimate cheeseboard hero.”
Beginning as a one-man company in Normandy, France, Boursin is now sold across five continents. In 1990, the Boursin name was acquired by Unilever, which sold it to Groupe Bel in November 2007 for €400m (£330m).
Toilet paper brand Cushelle worked with creative agency Publicis London to bring two festive and humorous murals to London and Manchester.
Publicis London worked with mural painting company, Global Street Art, to craft two hand-painted murals, both over 13 metres tall.
The murals show Santa Claus taking a break on the toilet accompanied by Cushelle mascot Kenny the Koala handing him toilet paper, along with the caption: “Everyone deserves a bit of me time”.
The OOH displays are part of Cushelle’s ‘Selfishly Soft’ campaign which was launched earlier this year. The campaign included releasing its ‘softest ever’ quilted toilet roll.
The murals can be found in Mare Street, Hackney, London, and Thomas Street, Manchester, until January 6th.
Brand manager for Cushelle and Velvet, Leanne McLeod, says: “These murals are a cheerful reminder that during the busy holiday season, it’s important to take a moment for yourself. They bring humour and heart to the festive period while keeping Cushelle top of mind.”
Publicis London chief commercial officer, Noel Bunting, adds: “This campaign flips the category on its head by combining a traditionally luxurious medium with a delightfully cheeky message. Seeing Santa take a moment for himself with Cushelle captures exactly what this season should be about: finding time to care for yourself in the midst of the holiday rush.”
Luxury British retailer, Fortnum & Mason, launched its 2024 Christmas campaign, titled ‘A Christmas Extraordinary’, with a range of different advertising mediums including OOH.
The campaign, made in collaboration with creative agency Otherway, illustrator Olaf Hajek, and animation studio Studio AKA, showcases a nostalgic design concept titled ‘Tales of Christmas’. The campaign reportedly took a full year to complete.
At the heart of the campaign are a range of illustrations created by the Berlin-based illustrator, Olaf Hajek. The internationally recognised artist is known for work that combines themes of nature and fables into intricate designs. For the campaign, Hajek hand-crafted a series of detailed scenes, which formed the foundation of Otherway’s campaign.
The campaign included a set of OOH billboard displays across central London featuring hand-painted characters and festive scenes. This included 48-sheet cross-track billboards for commuters of the London tube as well as print and digital advertisements across the city.
The design concept presented in the campaign is now featured across the packaging of more than 100 of Fortnum & Mason’s products, ranging from handcrafted Christmas puddings to festive teas.
Otherway also partnered with award-winning animation team Studio AKA and director Marcus Armitage to create a series of animated films using Hajek’s colourful characters, including an owl playing the cello, a mouse ringing a bell, and a cat sporting a scarf.
Jono Holt, founder & chief executive officer at Otherway, comments: “As every other brand at Christmas tries to pull the heartstrings, we believe that the best way to stand out and get noticed is by placing the product at the heart of the story. At Fortnum’s, it’s the exceptional products that really bring the festive joy.”
Coca-Cola worked with Ocean Outdoor to bring its AI-driven ‘Talk to Santa’ campaign to outdoor audiences as part of its Piccadilly Lights residency in London.
The campaign transformed a selection of 2D assets from Coca-Cola’s original campaign including Coca-Cola’s iconic Sundblom Santa Claus, converting them into 3D animations using Ocean Outdoor’s DeepScreen technology.
Four different virtual snow globes then alternate on a wide-format DOOH screen complete with swirling snowflakes and detailed reflections as the frame ‘ices up’.
Adding interactivity to the DOOH concept, viewers are invited to scan a QR code to engage in a personalised dialogue with Santa via AI enabled real-time conversations and image generation. They can also create their own snow globes from favourite holiday memories to share with family and friends on their chosen channels.
The campaign forms part of Coca-Cola’s ‘Create Real Magic’ AI campaign crafted in conjunction with Coca-Cola’s creative agency partner, Accenture.
The drinks brand recently released an updated version of its iconic “Holidays Are Coming” TV advert which was enhanced by AI technology leading to a mixed response online.
The interactive DOOH artwork will appear at the Piccadilly Lights landmark between 3pm and 6pm until Christmas Day.
Ocean Outdoor Group creative director David Tait says: “Coca-Cola taps into Christmas nostalgia, using Ocean’s innovative technology to create an immersive 3D winter wonderland. There’s nothing quite like a 15-metre-tall Santa to spread the festive spirit.”
As nights continue to get darker and as the shortest day of the year on December 21st approaches, Clear Channel partnered with Strut Safe, a volunteer-operated phone line dedicated to helping people have safer night-time journeys.
Strut Safe, founded in March 2021, operates a phone line connecting callers to trained volunteers who remain on the line until they arrive safely at their destination. The service currently runs during peak nighttime hour, specifically Fridays and Saturdays from 7pm to 3am and Sundays from 7pm to 1am, with plans to expand coverage.
The campaign addresses growing concerns about street violence by providing a free space for Strut Safe to publicise their helpline. Presenting both a number and QR code for the Strut Safe helpline, it was aired across Clear Channel’s Adshel Live and Billboard Live digital screens on thousands of bus stops and billboards nationwide.
Research from Clear Channel UK reveals that a fifth of UK adults would never walk alone at night, increasing to over a quarter of women. The same research states that over half of Brits would avoid walking alone at night if they don’t have their phone with them.
Commenting on the campaign, Martin Corke, chief marketing officer at Clear Channel UK, says: “By promoting Strut Safe’s contact details across our bus shelter network, we aim to make every nighttime journey safer.
“This partnership aligns with our commitment to using our network of digital screens up and down the country as a platform for good, amplifying messages that protect community wellbeing. Together, we hope to bring light to the darkness and create a future where everyone can travel without fear.”
