OOHMAA announces Q2 winners of the OOHMAA Awards – The Speccies

AUCKLAND, Today: Drumroll, please! The OOHMAA team is thrilled to announce the Q2 winners of ‘The Speccies’ – our industry’s celebration of Aotearoa’s Out of Home advertising excellence.

These campaigns captured the judges’ attention with their creativity, media savvy and innovation which truly captivated audiences.

They’re now in the running for the coveted (soon to be coveted!) overall category wins, determined by end-of-year voting. Let’s meet this quarter’s stars!

Best use of Technology/Data

Advertiser: Genesis Energy
Campaign Title: Changing Interest of Genesis’ EV Proposition
Creative Agency: Bastion Shine
Media Agency: PHD Aotearoa
Out of Home Format/s: Large format Digital Billboards

Campaign Details: Challenged to reach EV owners and potential owners across New Zealand to promote Genesis’ new EV proposition, we leveraged both strong insights and technology to activate a first-to-market DOOH solution powered by time, context & audience behaviour signals to highlight the savings benefits of their EV proposition.

Judges’ Comments: In a category where many campaigns struggled to showcase innovative data use, Genesis Energy’s “Charging Interest of Genesis’ EV Proposition” truly stood out.

Their use of real-time fuel price triggers and dynamic countdowns to promote EV savings was a standout example of leveraging data effectively. This smart strategy helped to drive a 151% increase in signups but also navigated market challenges with impressive results.

Be Seen

Advertiser: bp
Campaign Title: Drives you cravey
Creative Agency: Ogilvy
Media Agency: Mindshare
Out of Home Format/s: Special Build – Truck Wrap

Campaign Details: Special built mobile Out of Home execution to bring the bp wildbean cafe “Drives you cravey” creative platform to life.

Judges’ Comments: This is a fun and impactful campaign that would catch the eye of anyone who saw it. It is pretty realistic and with it being driven around Auckland made people stop and stare. Perfect for the target audience and creative use of an out-of-the-box idea to turn it into a billboard with impact

Out of the Box

Advertiser: Mercury
Campaign Title: Password is on the back
Creative Agency: FCB
Media Agency: FCB
Out of Home Format/s: Digital Large Format & Classic Street Furniture

Campaign Details: Mercury, one of New Zealand’s biggest energy companies, now does broadband. To let people know we offer internet, we had to let them know we KNOW internet. So, we turned one of the biggest billboards in the heart of New Zealand’s biggest city, into the world’s biggest modem. And like any internet modem, we put the password on the back.

But we didn’t stop there. We turned a series of bus stops into internet hot spots to give Kiwis across the country a chance to log onto our Mercury Modems for a chance to win something to take home. Most advertising specialists might say putting your message on the wrong side of the ad was marketing madness, campaign craziness or billboards gone bonkers. But, it worked, with thousands of people (and potential new customers) popping their heads around for a looksie and a log-in.

Judges’ Comments: Mercury’s “Password’s on the Back” campaign is a brilliant example of thinking outside the box.

By turning a giant billboard into a modem and bus stops into internet hotspots, they not only caught eyes but also got people actively engaged. The quirky idea of hiding the password on the back was a fun twist that really worked. With hundreds of leads generated, it’s clear this campaign didn’t just stand out—it connected.

Best use of Channel

Advertiser: PAK’nSave
Campaign Title: Wall of Frames
Creative Agency: FCB
Media Agency: PHD Aotearoa
Out of Home Format/s: Street Posters

Campaign Details: Using a Phantom Street Poster takeover site on K Road, we turned what would have just been an OOH site, into a 15” TVC through consecutive placements, creative messaging, and audience engagement.

Judges’ Comments: PAK’nSAVE’s ‘Wall of Frames’ campaign is a fantastic example of turning traditional OOH into something special. By transforming 27 street posters into a 15-second TVC, they created a fun, flipbook-style experience.

This clever use of the format not only caught people’s attention but also got them involved by filming and sharing it on social media. The campaign’s interactive and nostalgic approach made it a standout, proving that a simple idea can have a big impact. The seamless blend of Out of Home with social media and TVC was truly impressive.

People’s Choice

Advertiser: Mars
Campaign Title: Adoptable, by Pedigree
Creative Agency: Colenso BBDO x Nexus Studios
Media Agency: Essence MediaCom
Out of Home Format/s: Consecutive Street Furniture Live & Retail Live

Campaign Details: Encourage adoption by transforming Pedigree ads into dynamic ads for local adoptable shelter dogs

Judges’ Comments: The Pedigree Adoptable ad took out the top spot this quarter. It succeeded in delivering the feel-good factor with great visuals and a strong message. This resulted in people feeling more positive about Pedigree and intrigued to know more.

A sincere thank you to our incredible judges: Sam Stuchbury, Mike Bonner, Kelly Rosnell-Shand, and Jono Allen! We know you’re all incredibly busy, so your time and expertise mean the world to us. Whakawhetai ki a koe!

Also, a huge congratulations to all our winners! Your work is truly inspiring. Get ready to impress us again! Q3 nominations open on September 17. Submit your entries here.