Everywhere You Are

As one of the nation’s largest digital printing companies, and producer of many digitally printed billboards, Circle Graphics (www.circlegraphicsonline.com) in Longmont, Colorado, is both a strong advocate for and a beneficiary of the power of out-of-home advertising. So, when Stephen Freitas, chief marketing officer for the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA) solicited the company’s support for its latest promotional campaign, Circle Graphics eagerly obliged.

“We’re huge supporters of OAAA and everything it does,” says Kristy Schlepp, Circle Graphics’ executive vice president. “So we’re glad to help with pro-bono work when we can.”

In this latest example, Circle Graphics was asked to print a variety of large-format collateral to support a highly visible but short-term campaign/event, timed to coincide with the 10th Annual Advertising Week in New York, which took place this past September. With the theme “EverywhereUR,” the campaign intended to demonstrate the effectiveness of out-of-home advertising when combined with the reach and power of social media.

“The proliferation of social media has taken O-O-H to new heights, positioning the medium to emerge as a key advertising option that amplifies integrated marketing campaigns,” explained OAAA president Nancy Fletcher prior to the project’s official debut. “Through this campaign, we hope social-media users enjoy seeing themselves in the bright lights of Times Square, and we hope advertisers see the effectiveness and versatility of America’s out-of-home network.”

The centerpiece of this effort: a large digital billboard overlooking Time Square, in mid-Manhattan. Throughout Advertising Week, more than 2500 billboards in locations throughout the US invited and encouraged consumers to submit their photos for display there. All they had to do was tweet them using the hashtag #everywhereUR. Approved photos briefly appeared on the digital screen, were captured by camera, and then transmitted back to the sender’s account as a memento of their participation.

Circle Graphics’ printed contributions helped raise awareness on the streets in and around Time Square. “We were asked to print urban panels for telephone kiosks and bus shelters,” says Megan Sievert, Circle Graphics’ executive assistant. She coordinated the project with OAAA representatives. “They later added a 24 x 26-foot billboard, the largest single piece we produced for the campaign.”

The entire campaign, both print and digital, featured the work of Toronto-based artist Jazzberry Blue. Deadlines were tight, but manageable even with Colorado’s mid-September floods. OAAA submitted print-ready files for pre-flight by the staff at Circle Graphics prior to printing.

When all was said and done, Circle Graphics donated about 125 printed wide-format pieces for the project. A series of 30 x 60-inch urban panels were printed on styrene utilizing the company’s Novus Synergia H/UV flatbed. The rest of the project was produced on the company’s EFI Vutek UltraVu II 5330 solvent inkjet printer. That work included 26 x 50-inch posters on Circle’s own Eco Backlit transit shelter for the telephone kiosks; larger 47 x 60-inch prints for bus shelters on specialty shelter paper; and a 24 x 26-foot bulletin wrap on vinyl flex.

Everything shipped from Colorado to New York, well in time for the campaign’s official debut on September 23. Commencing then, and throughout Advertising Week, photos from all corners were featured on the screen in a compelling demonstration of how print, digital, and social media can be integrated for more powerful O-O-H campaigns.