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The story of Interactive billboards and how Coca-Cola used it

Cocacola, Interactive billboard

September 15, 2024

In this world, we all need variations. It may be in food, movies, poetry, stories, or clothes. We all humans regularly need something new. Once a newspaper was something new. Once Outdoor advertising was something new. Once TV Ads were something new. Once social media ads were something new and today it’s trending.

However, because of the continuous consumption of content using the same media, It has become boring. These days we need some creativity in outdoor advertising. That’s why to encourage creativity in outdoor advertising, Mad Over Marketing is giving awards to the brands that executed the best ideas.

Making things interactive is necessary. Because things that are not interactive fail to grab and retain the attention. That is why we should make boards interactive. because making interactive billboards involves gamification, gamification makes it interesting.

Interactive billboards are a mixture of technology and creativity. Because of this combination, it makes a long-lasting impact in the mind of your audience. Interactive billboards are highly engaging. It has more engagement compared with other types of advertisement.

Because of a mixture of technology and creativity. It enhances brand experience. The Benefit of using technology for advertising is that it gives us accountability. When we don’t use tech we can’t be accountable about ROI. But, Because of tech, it becomes easy for us to analyze and get the right data. everything that includes billboard advertising contributes to the effectiveness of advertising.

The more effective things become, the more expensive it becomes. As it is highly interactive, it has more expenses. Because of using tech with creativity, it’s necessary to invest the money. As it is highly interactive and present on the ground, it’s necessary to keep them errorless. Because of this, we should focus on regular maintenance.

Interactive billboard advertising is fine for the bigger brands. But, for smaller businesses, we won’t suggest going with interactive billboard advertising. Because they will have to burn more money into this. When writing this article I’ll write a list of brands that use interactive billboards for advertising. Here are the case studies of some brands that use interactive billboards for advertising: 

Coca-cola: 

Coca-Cola launched the Happiness Machine Billboard campaign in Kuala Lumpur in 2013. This interactive billboard was part of Coca-Cola’s broader global initiative to spread happiness and positivity through creative and engaging marketing campaigns. Coca-Cola’s campaign on the bustling streets of Kuala Lumpur was a brilliant example of how the brand used innovative outdoor advertising to connect with its audience in a dynamic, urban environment. 

Objective:

Coca-Cola aimed to promote its brand message of happiness and positivity in Kuala Lumpur’s crowded streets, reaching a diverse audience and creating memorable interactions with people going about their daily routines.

How It Worked:

– Interactive Billboard: Coca-Cola installed a large digital billboard that invited people passing by to interact with it. The billboard was programmed to engage users with the brand through fun, interactive tasks.

– Happiness Dispensed: The most notable feature of the billboard was its ability to “dispense” happiness in various forms. People who participated could receive a free Coca-Cola, branded merchandise, or gifts just by interacting with the screen.

– Social Media Integration: The campaign encouraged people to take pictures or videos of their interactions and share them on social media with hashtags like #CokeHappiness, further amplifying the campaign’s reach beyond the streets of Kuala Lumpur.

Example Interaction:

At times, the billboard would prompt users to smile, wave, or high-five a digital hand on the screen. Once they did, the billboard would “reward” their positive energy by dropping a free Coke from a nearby vending machine or offering a coupon for local outlets.

Results:

– Increased Foot Traffic: The campaign caught the attention of busy pedestrians, who paused to interact with the billboard and share their experience.

  – Brand Engagement: By making the campaign interactive and rewarding participants with tangible gifts, Coca-Cola was able to engage its audience in a way that traditional advertising couldn’t.

  – Social Media Buzz: The shareability of the experience, coupled with the hashtag promotion, created an online buzz that helped spread Coca-Cola’s message of happiness far beyond the physical space in Kuala Lumpur.

Key Features of the Campaign:

  1. Location Strategy: Placing the billboard in high-traffic areas of Kuala Lumpur ensured maximum visibility. The brand capitalized on the hustle and bustle of the streets to draw attention to its interactive billboard.
  2. Emotional Engagement: Coca-Cola’s use of a “happiness machine” was consistent with its long-standing brand message of sharing joy, making the interaction feel personal and meaningful to participants.
  3. Real-Time Interaction: By giving immediate rewards (free drinks, gifts), the billboard turned a typical day in the city into an unexpected moment of joy for commuters, enhancing the overall experience.
  4. Social Media Extension: The campaign’s connection with social media allowed Coca-Cola to go beyond local engagement, as participants posted their happiness moments online, leading to greater brand visibility.

 

Conclusion:

The Coca-Cola Happiness Machine Billboard in Kuala Lumpur was a masterful execution of outdoor interactive advertising. It combined the physical world with the digital, allowing people to engage in real-time while promoting the brand’s positive, joyful message. The campaign successfully captured the attention of both locals and tourists, making Coca-Cola an integral part of their city experience and spreading happiness one Coke at a time.

Written by Pawan Barapatre

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