When you watch a cutting edge sci-fi film, or a thriller, it’s often easy to spot the CGI sequences – impossible things, hyper real camera work and what some critics call ‘a triumph of style over content’. It’s not that there’s anything inherently wrong with CGI (the Jason Bourne series is a masterclass), it’s just that too much technology sometimes makes it all feel a little less…personal.
Some adland creative directors have come to the same conclusion, opting for the 4 Sheet poster size and a grittier, urban approach that delivers advertising with a nod to agitprop. Wall posters not only have a rich history, extending back to the Egyptians, they can still pack an emotional punch for us. They represent a democratised and accessible way to inform, protest, communicate and share ideas.
A London Street Scene 1835, by John Orlando Parry, in the days before bill posters were prosecuted!
In a paradoxical time of increasing cyber interconnectivity and real world social isolation, fly posters continue to flourish beyond the confines of London Underground stations and some of the older taxi-ranks.
London’s Jack Agency is championing the 4 Sheet as a means of connecting with a streetwise, millennial audience – out in the street. Jack also promotes authorised flyposting. Interestingly, Primesight may be on course to make some of their older paste and paper 48 Sheets available for flyposters (the right kind, of course!). An array of established and ascending brands have embraced this retro paper trail, including: GAP, Vice TV, Meantime Brewing Company, Puma, Dr Martens and FitFlops. It remains to be seen which agencies will dominate this niche.
A 4 Sheet installation, connecting Dr Marten boots to footfall.
Check out our street gallery here:
Shoreditch’s Art Wall is an interesting example of a crossover space – a street gallery of eclectic and innovative (some might say, random) art that increasingly curates advertising too. This bespoke piece of artwork, for the film Suicide Squad, is a fusion of those two worlds.
Shoreditch Art Wall: Connecting Brands to Disruptive Art
What does all this tell us about OOH?
The industry is always on the lookout for niche and disruptive advertising campaign strategies. The re-emergence of 4 Sheet flyposting is a vibrant addition to the mix and shows that agencies and brands are willing to explore the past and well as the future. Who knows, they may look even further back and start emulating London’s ghost signs, as C& P Graphics did [0.47 on the clip].