SaveTogether

This piece was first published by OAAA on 05/19/2017. 

NEW YORK, NY (May 19, 2017)— Today, on Endangered Species Day, the National Geographic Society and members of the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA), will launch a groundbreaking OOH campaign driven by user generated content and featuring a range of animals at risk shared via the hashtag #SaveTogether. Organized by OAAA, the extensive campaign launches on digital billboards across Times Square and other major U.S. cities today and continues throughout the summer across a range of billboards and other OOH formats donated by OAAA members from across the country.

The campaign kicks off at Noon with an hour-long digital billboard takeover and interactive experience in Times Square. Members of the public are encouraged to look for National Geographic Photo Ark posters, snap a selfie with the endangered animal, and share via Instagram or Twitter using  #SaveTogether. Participants are quickly rewarded with their moment of fame as their image is published on iconic digital billboards.

The digital OOH activity is driven by OpenLoop, the real-time campaign management and distribution platform donated by ad tech specialist, QDOT. Meanwhile, 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 $500 million in media space to support public service efforts,” said OAAA President & CEO 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, D.C. are among some of the major markets that will also participate in the Endangered Species Day 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 U.S.,” said Ben Putland, MD 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 U.S. where Photo Ark animals will be featured on printed and digital billboards, bus shelters, airport dioramas, mall kiosks and other OOH formats.

Learn more and donate at PhotoArk.org and join the conversation on social media with #SaveTogether.