Billboards get interactive with Bill Is Bored

AUCKLAND, Today: Leading outdoor advertising company VAST Billboards and creative agency Antony & Mates have redefined billboard advertising with Bill Is Bored, an interactive campaign bringing static billboards to life.

Running across Auckland, Taupo, Napier, and the South Island, the campaign stars Bill, an 8-bit animated character who’s calling for help to cure his boredom. Passersby are directed to billisbored.com, where they can shape Bill’s story—suggesting meals, picking pets, or even voting on his next billboard message.

The results speak for themselves: 4,860 visits to the website in just one month, with 1,930 users submitting suggestions—an impressive 40% conversion rate. By initially hiding VAST’s branding, the campaign sparked curiosity and demonstrated how billboards can drive digital engagement.

Gary Rosewarne, Head of Growth Strategy at VAST Billboards, shared, “Our goal was to show that billboards can do more than brand awareness, they can drive meaningful engagement and measurable actions.

“Big thanks to VAST Billboards for the fantastic brief that allowed us to challenge perceptions of what out of home can achieve and the power of great, engaging creative.” – Peter Glasson

“Bill’s journey from billboard to website highlights the power of outdoor advertising when it’s paired with digital interactivity. These results demonstrate how creativity can turn a traditional medium into a powerful tool for connection.”

The campaign proves that out-of-home (OOH) advertising can capture attention, build connections, and drive online interactions. It’s a testament to the role of billboards in multi-channel marketing.

Peter Glasson, Partner at Antony & Mates, added, “Bill brought a new layer of connection to the billboard format, inviting audiences to engage with a character they could shape and follow. By giving Bill a story, we transformed outdoor advertising into an interactive experience, showing just how engaging a digital billboard can be.

“Big thanks to VAST Billboards for the fantastic brief that allowed us to challenge perceptions of what out of home can achieve and the power of great, engaging creative.”

For more about VAST Billboards and the Bill Is Bored campaign, check out the case study here.

• billisbored.com
• vastbillboards.co.nz/bill-is-bored