When Did Billboards Get So Emotionally Intelligent?
Somewhere between the third oat milk ad and a soft-lit reminder that you’re enough, out-of-home advertising stopped shouting and started whispering. Auckland’s streets are serving up therapy sessions wrapped in Helvetica (don’t worry, not talking about fonts) and a pastel gradient. It’s not just about selling anymore. It’s about feeling seen.
I first noticed it waiting at a bus stop in Mt Eden. A humble ad space between café menus and dog-walker flyers blinked up at me: “It’s OK to rest – even when there’s lots to do.” No logo. No product. Just vibes. Three days later, it was for a mattress startup. Genius. It hung around in my mind like a particularly well-timed compliment. Then I saw another – this one reminding people to drink water. Brought to me by a kombucha company, naturally.
Let’s be real. We’ve passed peak punchline. 2024’s creative battleground isn’t snark, it’s softness. And we’re seeing local brands really lean into it. thinkstep-anz’s climate-centric campaigns, All Good’s banana-level optimism, even NZTA’s emotive storytelling that somehow makes you think twice about tailgating. These aren’t accidents. They’re deeply strategic, emotionally literate decisions. The ad world has caught on: sincerity slaps.
So what’s a creative to do in this current storm of gentle affirmations? Go deeper. Don’t dial down the detail. Ask why a street ad can make someone cry at a red light. If out-of-home is our national consciousness in billboard form, then maybe the smartest brands are the ones speaking softly enough to be heard.
I first noticed it waiting at a bus stop in Mt Eden. A humble ad space between café menus and dog-walker flyers blinked up at me: “It’s OK to rest – even when there’s lots to do.” No logo. No product. Just vibes. Three days later, it was for a mattress startup. Genius. It hung around in my mind like a particularly well-timed compliment. Then I saw another – this one reminding people to drink water. Brought to me by a kombucha company, naturally.
Let’s be real. We’ve passed peak punchline. 2024’s creative battleground isn’t snark, it’s softness. And we’re seeing local brands really lean into it. thinkstep-anz’s climate-centric campaigns, All Good’s banana-level optimism, even NZTA’s emotive storytelling that somehow makes you think twice about tailgating. These aren’t accidents. They’re deeply strategic, emotionally literate decisions. The ad world has caught on: sincerity slaps.
So what’s a creative to do in this current storm of gentle affirmations? Go deeper. Don’t dial down the detail. Ask why a street ad can make someone cry at a red light. If out-of-home is our national consciousness in billboard form, then maybe the smartest brands are the ones speaking softly enough to be heard.