AUCKLAND, Today: Powershop and Phantom Billstickers are engineering a power shift that introducing Kiwis to the idea that they’re in charge. And they’re doing it via some engaging street posters that build hands-on interaction into the experience.
Phantom commercial strategy manager Ben Stonyer explains: “As with all good campaigns, the brand message drives the creative idea,” he says. “Powershop’s positioning is that customers make the rules. They get more choices, and more ability to manage their energy usage, than with other suppliers.
“So Powershop and its agencies, eightyone and MBM Wellington, came up with the idea of images that would transform when the viewer got involved. Just follow the instruction – ‘Push to shift’ – and the image would be subverted.
“A beautifully simple idea – but fiendishly difficult to build. So they called Phantom Billstickers.”
Nice idea. Now make it work…
Phantom’s in-house team engineered a solution with spindles inside the poster frame to flip panels that carried different images. Another solution called for ‘blinds’ that are pulled down to change the scene.
“Don’t just look at the posters – play with them. See what Powershop means when it talks about a power shift.”
The mechanisms were tested and tweaked to make sure they would stand up to life on the street. Then they were unleashed on the public.
“You can see the subversive new Powershop campaign in Phantom frames at prominent Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch sites,” says Stonyer. “But don’t just look at the posters – play with them. See what Powershop means when it talks about a power shift.
MBM Wellington’s Lisa Tennant says she is pleased to see the alignment of business strategy with marketing mechanics.
“Powershop looks at the world a little differently,” she said. “For this brand campaign we wanted to show people that Powershop puts the power in their hands. We wanted to show this by giving people the ability to shift something.
“Phantom were great to work with. They engineered and developed amazing builds that really brought the campaign to life in a tangible and engaging way.
“True interaction is now happening at street level.”
Ben Stonyer: “Street posters already provide a constantly changing gallery at eye level. But now we’re seeing companies like Powershop shake things up. They’re giving the public the ability to interact and have fun with their brand.”
“And if you come up with a real showstopper, Stonyer adds, the public will start amplifying your campaign by sharing your poster on social platforms.
“All it takes is a clever piece of creative – plus a poster company with the capability to bring it to life on walls around New Zealand.”
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