1. Brief
During lockdown, Brits’ screen time naturally skyrocketed and reconnecting with nature became a theme in people’s lives. So, as lockdown eased, O2 wanted to allow its customers to use their tech to help them make the most of the great outdoors.
The ambition was to create a campaign using O2’s Priority program, inspiring people to experience nature in different ways – “Go Green” week. A challenge we faced was creating an installation that wasn’t just COVID-safe, but also promoted O2’s commitment to environmental stability, with interactive elements allowing people to engage with both the Priority app and nature.
2. Response
Knowing that Gen-Z love showing solidarity for causes though their social media, gravitating towards “Instagrammable” moments; O2 wanted to show that they’re like-minded and actively committed to positive action. In order to generate as much awareness and additional footfall to the site as possible, the OOH activation was supported through geo-social activity and within the Priority app.
Not only would the living wall encourage people to remember the benefits of reconnecting with nature, but it would change the relevance of Priority. For existing O2 customers, the goal was to drive them into the app to see the rewards available.
In order to achieve the desired disruptive effect, we chose Shoreditch; a busy commuter area, popular with younger people. The focus of the special-build was a “living billboard” featuring “Go Green” lettering of moss and pistachio stems – specifically selected for their ability to retain a strong green hue over the duration of the campaign.
Underneath the living billboard, a 4-sheet takeover consisting of seven individual posters, was combined into one seamless canvas. This element of the build, featuring a fly posting campaign with takeaway recyclable seed-papers. Passers-by were invited to rip off the seed-papers to take home and plant for themselves, encouraging them to continue building the connection with nature that was made/strengthened during lockdown. A QR code on the seed-paper, took people to the Priority app, with gardening related rewards and tutorials available.
Keeping the installation COVID-19 safe was of utmost importance, so we mitigated concerns around spreading the virus by installing hand sanitizer dispensers at the site, regularly replenishing them.
3. Results
The first OOH special-build to go live as UK lockdowns eased, Go Green launched on August 10th, with almost 2000 seed-papers collected by participants over the course of the campaign. The social activity that ran simultaneously with the OOH activation, exceeded expectations. The geo-social activity drove +1,749 people within close proximity to the OOH site.
