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To Boldly Go, Elvis and Revolt have secured the top prizes in Ocean Outdoor’s annual Digital Creative Competition which rewards bold, original ideas that push the boundaries of Digital out of home (DOOH) advertising.

Gold in the commercial brand category goes to McVitie’s and To Boldly Go who reignite an age old British debate with Dare to dunk?, an interactive game powered by haptics, gesture control and chocolate digestives.

Taking Gold in the non-profit category are Greenpeace UK and Elvis with You can’t jail this billboard, a disruptive campaign using DOOH to pressure for the restoration of everyone’s democratic right to peaceful demonstration.

New this year is a third category for Manchester’s Printworks SkyLights. Winning two weeks of space on the 900 m2 full motion LED ceiling are Ruby Wax’s mindfulness charity Frazzled and Revolt with The Feeling Ceiling, which offers people an easier way to start talking about how they really feel.

A panel of 23 independent expert judges drawn from the creative and media industries selected this year’s winners, which were announced at an industry event hosted by Ocean at Bloomsbury Ballroom in London. 

Ocean Outdoor UK CEO Phil Hall said: “If there’s one thing Out of home advertising excels at, it’s helping everyone to help each other. I don’t think I have ever seen so many brands and agencies rise to the occasion with an impressive set of ideas which are designed to tackle big problems and the vagaries of modern day life.

“From preventing skin cancer, tackling phone thefts or addressing the cost of democratic protest and tackling food waste, to much more light hearted dilemmas like how long to dunk a biscuit, the backbone of our creative industry is built on the craft of problem solving. I for one am inspired by this year’s quintessential cohort of winners.” 

Silver in the commercial category is awarded to Kwik Fit and VCCP Blue for Road Happy, an idea that uses Ocean Vehicle React technology alongside the world’s corniest dad jokes to boost the mood of Britain’s beleaguered drivers.

Bronze goes to Wasabi and Initials CX for No time to waste, which targets consumers with grab and go end of day deals to help reduce unnecessary food waste.

Second prize in the non-profit category goes to the Metropolitan Police and Pablo London, with an outdoor robbery activation which “steals” mobile phones from large format DOOH ads, alerting Londoners to the alarming number of street phone thefts.

In third place, Wonderhood Studios and The British Skin Foundation present The Burnable Billboard, a data driven reminder about the danger of sun damage with a powerful message to protect your skin.

Ocean Outdoor UK marketing director Marie Le Hur said: “Once again we set out to discover big, impactful creative ideas which build brand and audience value, and memorable concepts that work beyond the screens alone. Congratulations to this year’s winners who have surpassed the brief. We look forward to bringing these ideas to life.”

Commercial Category

Gold: McVitie’s

Campaign: Dare To Dunk?

Agency: To Boldly Go

McVitie’s invites biscuit lovers to put their dunking skills to the test with an interactive DOOH challenge. Players use Ocean’s hand and gesture control haptics technology to mimic the classic hot drink dunk, trying to hit that sweet spot before the biscuit breaks. Every day, there are 100 chances to win, with rewards for near-perfect efforts and a grand prize for those who master the ultimate dunk. A live ‘dunkerboard’ adds a competitive edge, encouraging social media sharing.

The judges said: “This game is simple, inherently British and made us smile. It’s educative about the product’s characteristics, there are several moving parts and we especially liked the dunkerboard. It’s a silly idea and people will have fun.”

Silver: Kwik Fit

Campaign: Road Happy

Agency: VCCP 

Kwik Fit’s mission is for people to drive away happy every time. However, from soaring insurance premiums to petrol prices, there’s not much for motorists to laugh about right now.

In 2024, more than two thirds of drivers admitted to experiencing road rage, and when you consider that this heightened emotional state makes people 10 times more likely to cause an accident, it’s no laughing matter. Road Happy uses Ocean Vehicle React technology to anonymously scan cars while they wait at traffic lights, and then serve drivers a joke relevant to their vehicle, bringing some levity to their journey by making the roads a happier (and safer) place.

The judges said: “This is a positive reinforcement of the brand. A refreshingly simple creative idea which is right where the brand positions itself. As a user, you do not know that you are being teched – and the dad jokes are hilarious.”

Bronze: Wasabi – No Time to Waste

Agency: Initials CX

Wasabi tackles food waste with a campaign which activates 30 minutes before their outlets close. Live data turns digital screens into real-time displays of nearby store shelves, showing dishes still available at half the price. With a ‘No Time to Waste’ message and a countdown timer, passers-by are encouraged to act fast and grab a discounted meal using their phones. As the dishes are bought, they vanish from the screens, with seamless mobile integration allowing customers to easily purchase and get directions to their nearest location.

The judges said: “This campaign hits several notes. It not only drives foot traffic but reduces waste without asking too much of the customer.  We like the idea of being able to purchase and reserve dishes before they disappear from the shelf. It’s a very creative use of tech, has a lot of talkability and sells OOH perfectly.”

Non-Profit Category

Gold: Greenpeace UK

Campaign: You Can’t Jail This Billboard

Agency: Elvis

Greenpeace UK and Elvis use Ocean’s network and technology to draw attention to the fact that DOOH placements have more freedom than the average peaceful protester. Greenpeace activists will protest from ‘inside’ Ocean screens, where they are in no danger of jail as opposed to the situation ‘outside’ of them, using The Loop network to tour different UK cities at different times of the day. Activists will be seen holding their protest signs and heard via ShoutOut technology, making a powerful statement with Ocean Labs innovation at its heart.

The judges said: “Different times require different measures. This makes you stop and think. It doesn’t get in your way and it doesn’t make people’s lives harder. It breaks free from the confines around protesting to protect the planet and will create conversation. Out of home is where the people are and that is right in the heart of local communities. It has a sort of poetry about it.”

Silver: Metropolitan Police

Campaign: Look Up. Look Out

Agency: Pablo London

A mobile phone is reported stolen every six minutes in London. It can be a hard to prevent street crime which is why the Met wants to raise awareness in an attention grabbing way. In one day across the city, every phone in 250 different OOH ads is “pinched” to represent the same number of phones that are stolen every day. Utilising Ocean’s OOH network reaches people exactly where the crimes occur, whilst 3D Deepscreen® makes the disappearing acts unmissable in a surprising reminder to everyone to Look Up, Look Out.

The judges said: “This is a really simple, creative idea which can also be amplified across social and TV. But it’s the use of 3D outdoor that drives context for a real world problem. Having all the networks and brands on board at the same time is a huge ask but wouldn’t that be a remarkable coup.” 

Bronze: The British Skin Foundation

Campaign: The Burnable Billboard

Agency: Wonderhood Studios

Skin cancer is at an all-time high, but only 27% of Brits are taking proper precautions to prevent it. The Burnable Billboard series makes it impossible to overlook, showing in real time, the damage sun can cause. Via a live data feed, screens will feature UV data in real time from their exact locations to show realistic sun damage based on a range of different skin tones. QR codes will take the public to an Instagram filter, allowing them to take photos of their own skin and receive an estimated burn time based on the UV levels of their location.

The judges said: “This campaign is well thought through and location specific which gives it a valuable, personal element. You get something out of it on every level. We liked the fact that it happens over a period of time and there is more than enough to land the message. There is a purity to this idea.”

Printworks SkyLights category

Winner: Frazzled

Agency: Revolt

73% of Brits are stressed, yet 36% never discuss their mental health. Frazzled provides a non-judgmental space to open up, with nine in 10 people feeling better after one session. To raise the charity’s profile, Revolt deploys full-motion VFX, special lighting, audio and audience interaction, turning the vast digital ceiling into a skylight! The weather represents different emotions, creating an immersive experience that starts conversations about mental health. The activation will allow visitors to answer the question ‘What’s the weather like in your head today?’ by choosing a weather symbol, triggering that animation on the vast ceiling above.

The judges said: “This idea will look and sound amazing. It has a great interactive element which is completely anonymous and it ends positively with an uplifting blue sky. A lot of people will participate and Printworks SkyLights is the right place for it. A complex issue has been boiled down into a neat idea which is completely immersive.”