OOHMAA announces the Q1 winners of its awards - ‘The Speccies’
We’re thrilled to reveal the Q1 winners of The Speccies, OOHMAA’s celebration of excellence in Aotearoa’s Out of Home advertising. These campaigns rose to the top for their creative impact, clever use of the medium, and ability to cut through in a busy market.
Q2 2025 entries open June 12, so if you’ve delivered an outstanding Out of Home campaign, now’s the time to share it.
Let’s shine a spotlight on the winners!
BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY/DATA
Advertiser: Dulux
Campaign Title: Dulux Colours of NZ
Creative Agency: Pitchblack
Media Agency: MBM
Out of Home Format/s: Large Format Digital Billboards
Campaign Details: With the help of high-definition cameras mounted on digital billboards across the nation, Dulux let our country paint its own canvas, in its own colours, for New Zealand to see. A dynamic creative system analysed live images of the landscape behind each billboard, eye-dropping the hex code from every frame, and cross-referencing these against the Dulux’s Colours of New Zealand range in real-time. The billboards then dynamically overlayed Dulux Colour of New Zealand swatches - showcasing shades of the exact Dulux colour drawn from the scene behind them.
Judges’ Comments: The level of technical problem-solving behind Dulux was next-level; it wasn’t just clever, it tied perfectly to the brand and brought their Colours of New Zealand story to life.
BE SEEN
Advertiser: Z Energy
Campaign Title: Teaseburger Pie
Creative Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi
Media Agency: MBM
Out of Home Format/s: Mobile Billboards - Shout Media
Campaign Details: To launch Z Energy’s bold new Cheeseburger Pie, we stirred up some delicious controversy by taking a playful jab at small-town outrage over fast food giants setting up shop. Our targets? Picton and Whitianga, two towns with a history of vocal opposition to big-brand burger joints. On 3rd March, a larger-than-life image of Z’s Cheeseburger Pie appeared on a mobile billboard trailer, driven through each town for three hours before being parked in a prominent location. The teaser line: “Coming Soon to…”, no brand, just a mouth-watering image and a vague threat of change. As expected, local Facebook groups lit up. Marlborough Cool Cats Chat and Whiti Chit-Chat filled with speculation, debate, and outrage, exactly as planned.On 10th March, we revealed the twist: it wasn’t a fast-food giant, but Z Energy, here to deliver something even more unexpected, a cheeseburger in pie form. Billboard skins were switched out to reveal the full campaign message, and locals once again took to Facebook to react, this time with a mix of relief, laughter, and a touch of disbelief. A tongue-in-cheek campaign that combined Out of Home theatre, social listening, and hyper-local insight to launch a flavour with real bite.
Judges’ Comments: Tease Burger nailed the brief, it caught attention immediately, sparked conversation, and used Out of Home and social together brilliantly.
OUT OF THE BOX
Advertiser: Tātaki Auckland Unlimited
Campaign Title: Six the Musical
Creative Agency: Anthem
Media Agency: MBM
Out of Home Format/s: Projection
Campaign Details: To promote an exciting and unique musical, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited and MBM needed a media placement that was just as bold and memorable as the show itself. The brief? Build fame and create a media moment that would become a destination for musical lovers. The solution: a bespoke light projection on an iconic, highly visible wall on Queen Street, just up the road from The Civic, where the musical was set to dazzle audiences. Designed to spark anticipation and excitement, the campaign lit up the city ahead of opening night, setting the stage for an unforgettable experience.
Judges’ Comments: The SIX projection pushed beyond traditional canvases, it was bold, creative, captured their audience while close to the venue and turned a city building into a theatrical moment.
BEST USE OF CHANNEL
Advertiser: Dulux
Campaign Title: Dulux Colours of NZ
Creative Agency: Pitchblack
Media Agency: MBM
Out of Home Format/s: Large Format Digital Billboards
Campaign Details: With the help of high-definition cameras mounted on digital billboards across the nation, Dulux let our country paint its own canvas, in its own colours, for New Zealand to see. A dynamic creative system analysed live images of the landscape behind each billboard, eye-dropping the hex code from every frame, and cross-referencing these against the Dulux’s Colours of New Zealand range in real-time. The billboards then dynamically overlayed Dulux Colour of New Zealand swatches - showcasing shades of the exact Dulux colour drawn from the scene behind them.
Judges’ Comments: You had to physically look up at the billboard against the sky for it to work, it was such a smart, context-driven use of the channel. This idea could only have been brought to life through Out of Home, and it was so well thought out in how it used the environment to create a truly unique and impactful experience.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE (voted by Mediaworks Opinionation Survey Group)
Advertiser: Universal Pictures
Campaign Title: A Minecraft Movie
Creative Agency: Universal Pictures
Media Agency: Mindshare
Out of Home Format/s: Street Posters Special Build
Campaign Details: Mincraft has a serious following, so when Shout Media installed the stunning 30m mural on Khyber Pass outside the railway station, St Peters High School and Les Mills, it was no surprise that the massive 2D cut outs were pilfered several times before we changed tack and production methods. Clearly the creative evoked strong emotion with its strong visual appeal and cult following.
The People's Choice – This category isn’t judged by OOHMAA; instead, it’s powered by MediaWorks' Optionation survey, capturing the real opinions of everyday people. Minecraft swept the People’s Choice category this quarter, with its impactful, fun campaign. The bold use of the format and visual impact captured attention and put a smile on people’s faces. The ad provoked a positive reaction (23% ahead of Q1 benchmarks, and sparked intrigue (29% ahead of benchmarks).
We extend a huge thank you to our fantastic judges - Rachel Leyland, Penelope Brown, James McMullan and Steve Thomson. We appreciate the time, thought, and expertise you brought to the table. Whakawhetai ki a koutou!
To our brilliant winners, congratulations! Your work continues to raise the bar and inspire the industry.
Entries for Q2 2025 open on June 12, so now’s your chance to shine. Whether it’s bold creative, smart use of data, or a campaign that made people stop and stare, we want to see it. Submit your entry here and show us what great Out of Home looks like.