OBIE Hall of Famer & 2015 OBIE Nominees
Gail Chiasson, North American Editor
The Outdoor Advertising Association of America will present the 2015 OBIE Hall of Fame Award to HBO, alongside this year’s OBIE winners at the 74th OBIE Awards ceremony on Tuesday, May 12, during the 2015 OAAA\TAB National Convention + Expo in San Diego, CA.
Established in 1992, the OBIE Hall of Fame was created to recognize brands that have built an enduring legacy through the consistent use of the Out-of-Home advertising medium over many years.
“HBO is a brand that is constantly delivering entertaining, engaging advertising,” says Dave Loew, 2015 OBIE chief judge and creative director at Leo Burnett, Chicago. “HBO has an amazing track record of OOH work, so persuasive and so compelling time and time again.”
Since HBO first began to entertain households in 1972, the premium cable network’s use of simple yet powerful images and advertising concepts has captured the attention of potential viewers and long-time fans. For many of the network’s award-winning series, internationally acclaimed special events, and featured presentations, HBO has used multiple OOH formats over the decades to spotlight and encourage knowledge, artistry, and laughter.
“HBO’s exceptional creative culture perfectly complements its relationship with OOH,” says Stephen Freitas, OAAA chief marketing officer. “HBO uses the medium to inspire originality, a quality also reflected in the breadth of its programming. The brand has also made great use of interactive OOH in the last few years, engaging with viewers and personalizing experiences with their favorite HBO programs.”
In addition, OAAA announced that 91 Agencies are vying for OBIEs, the top awards in OOH Advertising.
Now in its 73rd year, the OBIE Awards program is the oldest and one of the most prestigious shows in advertising. In addition to multiple Silver and Gold OBIE Awards, OAAA will name three top prizes: Best Billboard Campaign, Best Street Furniture/Transit/Alternative Campaign, and Best Multi-format Campaign.
“With OOH, it has to be simple,” says Tom Scharpf, creative director, Venable Bell & Partners and 2015 OBIE judge. “That’s kind of the cost of entry. You have to get it right away, and I think that’s a really great creative challenge. You can solve something visually or you can solve it with a joke, but the joke better be quick and it better be well-written.”
The 91 campaigns nominated this year demonstrate the myriad ways that simplicity can be captured and expressed through the OOH medium. As technologies expand and improve, there are greater opportunities to personalize interactions with consumers.
“It’s hard to make something that stops someone in their tracks without yelling at them,” says Loew. “That’s the challenge: how do you stop them but reward them for their time? How do you do it in a way that’s insighful, that’s artistic, that’s entertaining?” says Loew.
“What you’re seeing now with OOH more and more is people being able to interact with units with their mobile phones, and that creates this great two-way communication. That’s when things get really interesting.”
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