Channel 4 Outdoor CHANNEL 4 NEWS by OMD London

Category: Digital Outdoor

Advertiser: CHANNEL 4

Product/Service: CHANNEL 4 NEWS

Agency: OMD UK

Creative Director: Rudd Stdios - Matt Rudd

Producer: 4creative - Gwilym Gwilim

Account Manager: Posterscope - Katy Roberts

Planner: Omd - Tom Darlington

Account Manager: Posterscope - Katy Roberts

Planner: Omd - Tom Darlington

Ambient Execution Description

Insights, Strategy & Idea

News is changing dramatically. 24hour news channels, constant news access on digital devices, citizen journalism and much more adds up to a tough, competitive landscape. One where traditional providers need to adapt to survive.

Channel 4 News’ 7pm bulletin had lost a quarter of its viewing over the last eight years. A change in editorial and marketing approach was required.

Our research showed that people choose what they want to watch very close to the time when they want to watch.

Our solution was simple– get a taste of Channel 4 news to people right when they’re catching up on the headlines and thinking about what to watch that evening, during their evening commute. But more than simply tell them the news was on Channel 4 tonight, we had to give them reasons to tune in. Make them understand that Channel 4 has something unique to offer around the news of the day.

Creative Execution

We created a new digital screen technology to bring the up-to-the-minute news at the moment that matters.

We broadcast of-the-moment Channel 4 news headlines digitally on the cross-track projection outdoor system of the London Underground, turning static sites into dynamic screens. But only between the hours of 4 and 7 in the evening, to laser target the evening commute. It was a unique use of the scale and impact of outdoor in a completely real time way.

We developed a unique content management system to ensure immediate publishing of Channel 4 headlines. This ensured Channel 4 was always leading the news agenda and giving people the reasons to watch when they got home.

We were driving immediate behaviour – viewing that evening. And we were driving long term habit - by following the habitual behaviour of commuters who saw our communication at the same time, same place, every day, within their commuting habits.

Results & Effectiveness

Our cutting-edge method of bringing the cutting-edge news to commuters was tremendously successful.

We successfully developed for Channel 4 a wholly owned, brand new media technology.

A technology of enormous impact now, and with unique opportunity to exploit in the future.

Commuters considered it a breaking news service, as an integral part of Channel 4 News, rather than as advertising. We had successfully taken the news out beyond the home and into the pattern of people’s lives.

Intention to view Channel 4’s 7 o’clock programme rose to 76%. And for those who had never watched it before the figure was a staggering 65%.