FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 17, 2007

2007 Out Of Home Media Plan Awards Winners Announced 10/17/07

New York City ­ The best out of home media plans in the country were honored Wednesday at the 8th Annual Out of Home Media Plan Awards, hosted by the Outdoor Advertising Association of America. Buntin Out-Of-Home Media and PHD/OMA were honored for their outstanding creativity, innovation, and success in using one of the advertising industry’s hottest mediums to promote local, national, and public service advertisers.

In the National Category, PHD/OMA wins for its “Talk to Chuck” campaign for investment company Charles Schwab. This campaign was impossible to miss. In addition to billboards and bus shelters, the agency used everything out of home has to offer. The judges were impressed by the breadth and ubiquity of the campaign, which used printed dry cleaning bags, health club posters, complimentary mint tins, spinnaker sails and even vehicle wraps with the now iconic “talk bubble” logo. The judges were especially impressed with the way the copy matched the media. For example, the dry cleaning bags asked customers if they felt like their broker was taking them to the cleaners. This campaign even created the first billboards in cyberspace, embedding replicas of physical billboards in Microsoft’s 3D Virtual Earth mapping project.

In the Local Category, Buntin Out-Of-Home Media wins for its statewide effort, “Leading the Way for Better Health” campaign, promoting BlueCross, BlueShield of Tennessee. Out of home was a huge part of this integrated campaign which helped reposition the state’s dominant health insurance company as a “better health” and “better life” provider. Buntin Out-Of-Home Media created bus shelter ads using mirrors and other interactive elements, transit ads which turned bus riders into advertising participants, and grocery store and pharmacy floor talkers which engaged consumers where they were making health related decisions. The agency even created yoga mats and other health club specific items to reach the target audience when they were thinking about their health.

For the first time, the judges chose to honor a public service campaign with a special award. Buntin Out-Of-Home Media wins again for its arresting and powerful “Infected by Meth” campaign for the Partnership for a Drug Free America. Relying on non-traditional out of home elements such as building graffiti, water fountain alterations, garbage truck advertisings and even the placement of burned spoons with printed tag lines, the campaign alerted communities to the danger of methamphetamine.

The awards were presented during the Out of Home Advertiser Forum, sponsored by ANA, OAAA , and TAB. Examples of creatives from all the winning campaigns and comments from the winners are available on request. Please contact Jeff Golimowski (jgolimowski@oaaa.org) at 202-776-1854 or 202-330-2432 for more information.

The OAAA is the largest trade association representing the outdoor advertising industry. It is dedicated to leading and uniting a responsible outdoor advertising industry that is committed to serving the needs of consumers, advertisers and the public. OAAA ’s nearly 1,000 member companies generate $6.8 billion annually in ad revenues, represent more than 90% of industry income, and donate space to charitable organizations in excess of $390 million each year.

Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA)
1850 M Street, N.W., Suite 1040
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 833-5566
E-Mail: info@oaaa.org
Website URL: www.oaaa.org