Outdoor company Clear Channel has outdone itself this time. This week it introduced the largest, most technically advanced billboard in the world. Being in advertising, I am downright giddy thinking about the creative possibilities within such a space, but first the facts.
It’s big.
- This “spectacular,” as they call them in the trade, is more than 25,000 square feet of seamless digital canvas — a record-breaking 77.69 feet by 329.65 feet.
- Pixel density of 2,368 x 10,048 — the highest resolution LED video display in the world of this size.
- The highest contrast LED display in the U.S. with Real Black LED technology, producing deep, rich black levels and unsurpassed vertical viewing angles, ensuring Times Square crowds have clear views of the display when close and in bright sunlight.
- Movies and animations are possible, as is sound when police permits are obtained in advance.
- High definition crowd cameras.
- Interactive, social media and live broadcast feed capabilities are possible.
Interested? Well, there will be a first mover advantage with this billboard. Google is reportedly up first for a 4-week buy at a $2.5 million price tag (source: New York Times, though Grabert would not confirm). You read that right.
Will be interesting to see how Google uses it. The novelty of the billboard’s size will carry even a bad idea. But that won’t last. It’s still just a medium.
In order to make a media buy that large worthwhile, the creative idea will have to be, well, spectacular.
This space is to billboards what the Super Bowl is to TV spots.
It’s not just another billboard, it’s an enormous, engaging, brand experience waiting to happen.
As such, a few things I am going to consider before any of my teams develop creative concepts for this space (if asked):
Context. It’s a big space, but in Times Square it’s also in a sea of other billboards. Simpler concepts might stand out more.
White space. Because the billboard is so big we have the opportunity to create your own “white space.” Consider using small amounts of the billboard at a time and let the negative space increase its impact. To the first point above, white space like this is impossible to find in Times Square, so make some.
Time. It spans an entire block. Might be wise to measure how long a typical passerby walking at a New Yorker’s pace is exposed to the billboard. And consider tailoring any animated loops accordingly.
Happy New Yorkers. Yes, our creative will find its way through the social stratosphere and/or on a nightly news broadcast, increasing its reach. But we should make New Yorkers happy with the creative. Many will have to walk by this board every day on their way to work. How can we make it add to their experience of the City, and not take away from it?
Channel the brand. We will ask ourselves about our client, “What would the brand, as we’ve articulated it, want to do in a space like this?” I’ve written more about this concept in my, “Don’t Just Brand The Channel, Channel The Brand.”
This space needs to be choreographed as much as it is creatively concepted. It’s not a design project, a video project, an art director or writer project, a social media project, or even a brand engagement project. It’s all of those things combined into one.
The ideas for this space need to be as “big” as the board itself. Otherwise it’ll be the equivalent of just another TV spot on the Super Bowl.