NatGeo, OOH trade body launch endangered species campaign
Today (May 19), on Endangered Species Day, the National Geographic Society and members of the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA), launched an out of home (OOH) campaign driven by user-generated content, featuring a range of animals at risk shared via the hashtag #SaveTogether.
#SaveTogether OOH campaign supports endangered animals
Organized by the OAAA, the extensive campaign involves digital billboards across Times Square and other major US cities today. It will continue throughout the summer across a range of billboards and other OOH formats donated by OAAA members from across the country.
The campaign kicked off with an hour-long digital billboard takeover and interactive experience in Times Square. The public was encouraged to find a National Geographic Photo Ark poster, snap a selfie with the endangered animal, and share via Instagram or Twitter using #SaveTogether. Images were then published on the digital billboards.
The digital OOH activity is driven by OpenLoop, a real-time campaign management and distribution platform donated by ad tech specialist, QDOT. Dozens of other Times Square billboards will feature video and stills of animals from the Photo Ark spanning the city’s digital amphitheater before disappearing in a symbolic execution underlying the importance of helping to save these species while there’s still time.
“The OOH industry annually donates more than $500m in media space to support public service efforts,” said OAAA president and chief executive officer Nancy Fletcher. “With its proven ability to amplify social and digital media, engage audiences, and ignite change, OOH is the perfect medium to build awareness around the #SaveTogether campaign.”
Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington, DC are among some of the major markets that will also participate in the launch of the #SaveTogether campaign through local digital OOH activations. Across the county, more than 45,000 digital OOH screens will feature Photo Ark images.
“Digital OOH is the perfect medium to amplify National Geographic’s social media campaign, extending the reach and impact of their digital strategy to millions of people across the US,” said Ben Putland, marketing director of DQOT. “This rich and timely interactive execution helps to engage audiences today and throughout the duration of the campaign.”
After May 19, the campaign will expand throughout the US where Photo Ark animals will be featured on printed and digital billboards, bus shelters, airport dioramas, mall kiosks and other OOH formats.