AMONG THE EARLIEST examples of what we now call out-of-home (OOH) advertising, the obelisks flanking the entrances of ancient Egyptian temples stood testament to the power of the pharaohs who built them. Today, the same symbol denotes the power of modern advertising in the form of the OBIE Awards, now in their 81st year of honoring the best the OOH industry has to offer.
Like the obelisks of old, which were striking even without intricately carved hieroglyphs, projects deserving of OBIE awards are often remarkable in an architectural sense. However, winning an award for creative design excellence also requires the right message, and printed ink remains among the most effective ways to communicate any message in a public space. Although PSPs are rarely the ones to take home the trophy, their work is at the heart of the 27 examples highlighted here. Perhaps these creative uses of printed media will inspire ideas of your own, whether you’re already a fixture in the OOH space, inspired to try your hand, or serving an entirely different market.
For more about the projects and the awards themselves, organized by the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA), visit obieawards.org.
1. VRBO Only You and Your People
Award Type
OBIE Finalist
Agency
Wieden + Kennedy Portland
Advertiser
Expedia Group
2. Blue Origin’s “Take Flight” Experiential Billboard
Award Type
OBIE Finalist
Advertiser
Blue Origin
3. Pinch My Tail!
Award Type
OBIE Finalist
Advertiser
Houma Area Convention Center
4. Pizza Pie Charts
Award Type
OBIE Silver Award
Agency
Zulu Alpha Kilo
Advertiser
Pizza Pizza
5. Yves Saint Laurent Libre
Award Type
OBIE Finalist
Agency
BETC
Advertiser
L’Oréal
6. “You’ve Arrived” Mobile Pop-Up
Award Type
OBIE Silver Award
Advertiser
M.M. LaFleur
7. Abbott Elementary
Award Type
OBIE Finalist
Advertiser
ABC
8. Weeeeee Love Plumbing
Award Type
OBIE Finalist
Agency
Outfront Studios
Advertiser
Lee’s Plumbing
9. Slumberland OOH Campaign
Award Type
OBIE Finalist
Agency
Midnight Oil
Advertiser
Netflix
10. “Butt No” to Fight Cigarette Litter in Philadelphia
Award Type
OBIE Silver Award
Agency
Red House Communications
Advertiser
Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development
11. goodr NYC Oasis
Award Type
OBIE Finalist
Agency
Alchemy Media
Advertiser
goodr
12. 2022 Air Zoo Campaign
Award Type
OBIE Finalist
Agency
Adams Outdoor Advertising
Advertiser
Air Zoo
13. RODCO Steel Distributors
Award Type
OBIE Bronze Award
Agency
Lamar Advertising
Advertiser
RODCO Steel Distributors
14. Unwind
Award Type
OBIE Finalist
Agency
Adams Outdoor Advertising
Advertiser
Urban Nirvana
15. Science World T.rex
Award Type
OBIE Finalist
Agency
Rethink
Advertiser
Science World
16. “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” Dimensional Billboard
Award Type
OBIE Finalist
Agency
Midnight Oil
Advertiser
Warner Bros.
17. Ballast Point Brewing Company’s SoCal Vehicle SWARM
Award Type
OBIE Finalist
Agency
CUENTO Marketing
Advertiser
Ballast Point Brewing Company
18. Taste of Heaven
Award Type
OBIE Finalist
Agency
Kraft Heinz Company
19. Coca-Cola Dreamworld Glass Bus
Award Type
OBIE Finalist
Advertiser
The Coca-Cola Company
20. GLOW in the Dark Billboards
Award Type
OBIE Finalist
Agency
The Kitchen @ Kraft Heinz
Advertiser
Kraft Food
21. GFIA Integrated Logo Campaign
Award Type
OBIE Finalist
Agency
OBIE Finalist
Advertiser
Gerald R. Ford International Airport
22. Melograno Premium Craft Cocktails Launch Campaign
Award Type
OBIE Finalist
Agency
Dough Agency
Advertiser
Melograno Premium Craft Cocktails
23. Moving Diamond
Award Type
OBIE Finalist
Agency
Adams Outdoor Advertising
Advertiser
Skatell’s Manufacturing Jewelers
24. Dr. Dennis Gross “Peel Mobile”
Award Type
OBIE Finalist
Agency
Vector Media
Advertiser
Dr. Dennis Gross
25. Heather Hills Senior Living Campaign
Award Type
OBIE Finalist
Agency
Extra Credit Projects
Advertiser
Heather Hills Senior Living
26. Casper 2022 OOH
Award Type
OBIE Finalist
Advertiser
Casper
27. Justice for Some
Award Type
OBIE Finalist
Agency
HLK
Advertiser
ArchCity Defenders
Inking the Outdoors: Our Favorite OOH Prints From the OBIEs
AMONG THE EARLIEST examples of what we now call out-of-home (OOH) advertising, the obelisks flanking the entrances of ancient Egyptian temples stood testament to the power of the pharaohs who built them. Today, the same symbol denotes the power of modern advertising in the form of the OBIE Awards, now in their 81st year of honoring the best the OOH industry has to offer.
Like the obelisks of old, which were striking even without intricately carved hieroglyphs, projects deserving of OBIE awards are often remarkable in an architectural sense. However, winning an award for creative design excellence also requires the right message, and printed ink remains among the most effective ways to communicate any message in a public space. Although PSPs are rarely the ones to take home the trophy, their work is at the heart of the 27 examples highlighted here. Perhaps these creative uses of printed media will inspire ideas of your own, whether you’re already a fixture in the OOH space, inspired to try your hand, or serving an entirely different market.
For more about the projects and the awards themselves, organized by the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA), visit obieawards.org.