Eleven creative agencies are fighting it out to win Ocean’s inaugural Grand Prix, a new award which draws together the winners from its annual Digital Creative Competitions spanning six European countries.

All of the contenders are the gold-winning ideas from Ocean’s local competitions which seek and reward original DOOH advertising concepts in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands and the UK.

The competition, which started in the UK 15 years ago and has been rolled out as Ocean has expanded into Europe, attracted a record 360 entries this year, the largest number of entries ever received.

• The 30 winners share a total prize pot of €3.640 million in advertising space to bring their ideas to life in their country of entry.
• 1,135 guests attended five awards ceremonies which happened simultaneously across Europe.

The shortlisted agencies going into the Grand Prix are Nordea Group Creative; Stendahls; NORD DDB; Rosser; The Barn; &Co. / NoA; Mainostoimisto Convoy Oy; Total Design; Higuita; To Boldly Go; and Elvis.

The Grand Prix winner is awarded a one week campaign across six of Europe’s most iconic digital screens including The Amsterdam Leidseplein; Stockholm’s Halo; The Iconic in Field’s Copenhagen shopping mall; Helsinki’s Redi Icon; The Cube in Oslo; and London’s Piccadilly Lights.

The Grand Prix is an incremental prize. Whilst the contenders are judged on their original concepts, the champion can use the screen space for any brand campaign of their choice. Ocean Studios will film the campaign, creating an asset to share across the Grand Prix winner’s owned digital and social channels.

Ocean head of brand and events Helen Haines said: “Our belief is that creativity is the defining factor of truly great advertising and DOOH screens present the most effective canvases to showcase this creativity. The six events show that creativity is in rude health across all of our countries. Exciting times for our winners, our partners and for the industry as a whole. Good luck to our contenders. We’ll announce the winner on 9 January.”   

The Grand Prix

Eleven agencies have been shortlisted. Judging takes place on 19 November.

Sweden

Your identity is priceless by Nordea Group Creative for Nordea

Imagine walking down a busy street when you notice something odd about the digital billboard ahead of you. The people on it look familiar. Everyone is wearing your face. Before you can fully process, a message flashes across the screen saying, “Your identity is priceless. Let’s keep it protected”. It’s a message that mirrors an uncomfortable truth – that your personal information could just as easily be stolen and misused. This idea from the financial services experts at banking leader Nordea combines augmented reality with DOOH tech to remind us how important it is to keep our identity safe from fraudsters.

Bryt mönstret by Stendahls for Naturskyddsföreningen            

To promote eco-friendly transport, Swedes are actively encouraged to break the cycle of car dependency. A motion sensor detects when people walk or cycle between two screens. As they pass, exhaust fumes vanish, allowing nature to flourish on the second screen, the interaction serving as a thank you for breaking the pattern.

To demonstrate the scope of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation’s work, key locations and areas they protect daily are highlighted, such as the lake bed in Edsviken, the anthill at Himlaberget and the woodland between a preschool and an office. Cameras at these locations livestream to Ocean screens in major cities where target audiences are concentrated, the concept offering a stark contrast to the typically fast-paced advertising environment.

Norway

The Steal Deal by NORD DDB for McDonald’s

Fries theft is a common occurrence amongst friends according to McDonald’s. Responding to this insight, NORD DDB chips in by creating out of home games where customers can “steal” fries from the McDonald’s OOH ads to win a genuine ”steal deal” in the McDonald’s app. Coupon rewards drive players into their local McDonald’s restaurants where they can be redeemed.

Tap in donation by Rosser for Zuccarellostiftelsen

The Zuccarello Foundation works to ensure every child has the opportunity to participate in sports regardless of their social situation. Using a DOOH screen with the same NFC tap function as store card payments, this idea invites passersby to make a simple donation by tapping their bank card on a football on the screen. Each donation triggers a video where the ball is passed towards the goal. A child receives the pass, scores and celebrates on the screen with a thank you message.

Denmark

Cocio Delay Discount by The Barn for Cocio

Chocolate milk brand Cocio creates “good mood moments” for airports passengers by utilising real-time flight data, turning travel delays into Cocio discounts. For every minute a flight is delayed, travellers earn a 1% discount which can be claimed by scanning a QR code on DOOH digital screens and redeemed at the duty-free store.

Svinelidt plads by &Co. / NoA for Dyrenes Beskyttelse

Denmark has the world’s most pigs per capita. Each year however, 10 million piglets and 160,000 sows die due to disease or injury. Animal Protection Denmark draws attention to inhumane living conditions by making a graphic comparison between the dimensions of a typical DOOH screen and the confined but legal spaces to rear three 110kg adult pigs. Squashed between each other, the animals in the DOOH screen struggle to move around, much as they do during their lifetime.

Finland

#Käpypalaa – turvallisuusviestintäkampanja by Mainostoimisto Convoy Oy (in collaboration with Markkinointitoimisto OZO and Wow Helsinki) for Pelastustoimi

More than 50 million hectares of forest burn on Earth every year. Highly forested Finland tackles the serious risk of fires brought about by climate change with a new national safety campaign aimed at every generation. Putting DOOH at its centre, this cross-channel public information campaign on behalf of fire and rescue services directs audiences to a website which explains fire prevention.

The Netherlands

Silent Street Stage by Total Design for QMusic  

Ocean’s digital screens are transformed into the Netherlands’ newest concert venues. The concert is visible on Ocean screens and the performance can be heard by everyone with earphones via the QMusic app. 

The city as a dancefloor by Higuita for Nationale Opera and Ballet 

The piece ‘in C’ is performed not only by the dancers, but also by Amsterdam’s residents and visitors. When a passer-by stands in front of the screen and moves, the ballerina imitates the movement with an elegant dance step. In this way, everyone can be part of the Dutch National Opera and Ballet. 

The UK

Dare To Dunk? by To Boldly Go for McVitie’s

McVitie’s invites biscuit lovers to test their dunking skills with an interactive challenge. Players use Ocean’s hand and gesture control haptics technology to mimic the classic hot drink dunk, trying to hit that sweet spot before the biscuit breaks. Each day there are 100 chances to win, with rewards for near-perfect efforts and a grand prize for those who master the ultimate dunk. A live ‘dunkerboard’ provides a competitive edge, encouraging social media sharing.

You Can’t Jail This Billboard by Elvis for Greenpeace UK

Ocean technology draws attention to the fact that DOOH placements have more freedom than the average peaceful protester in the UK. Greenpeace activists protest from ‘inside’ Ocean screens, where they are in no danger of jail as opposed to the situation ‘outside’ of them. Activists holding their protest signs will also be heard via ShoutOut technology, making a powerful statement with Ocean Labs innovation at its heart.