James Byrne, marketing manager, PML Group with this week’s Out \ Look on Out of Home.
Ahead of the highly anticipated Masters golf tournament in Augusta kicking off next Thursday, Sky Sports has unveiled a captivating OOH campaign that turns images of some of the world’s most iconic golfers into stunning oil paintings. The campaign, designed to build excitement for the event, draws a parallel between the precision of top golfers and the craftsmanship of renowned artists.
Titled “Masters at Work,” the campaign features golfing legends Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, and Bryson DeChambeau.
The nationwide Out of Home burst, planned by Starcom and Source Out of Home, comprises 48 Sheet billboards and Bus Shelters, including selected locations in proximity to golf clubs. Animated copy is also running across Digital Screens in major shopping centres. Research by TGI shows that these formats are 56% more likely to get the attention of Sky Sports Golf viewers versus the general population.
Director of Brand & Marketing at Sky Ireland, Caroline Donnellan explained, “The Masters is a significant event for golf fans each year, and we wanted this campaign to bring the magic of Augusta to life for fans throughout the nation. To achieve this, we’ve transformed golf into art, celebrating the mastery of Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, Bryson DeChambeau and more.”
The opening major of the year will be broadcast live exclusively on Sky Sports, with coverage beginning at 2pm on Thursday, April 10.
Cadbury Invites Ireland to Join the Ultimate Global Egg Hunt
Cadbury is once again live on Outdoor this cycle with their Worldwide Hide Easter campaign, now in its fifth year.
The campaign encourages people to take part in a virtual Easter egg hunt that blends online interaction with the real world. Until 20 April, people can hide an egg anywhere in the world for someone they care about, leaving a personalised clue to help them find it. Over 400,000 people took part last year.
Planned by Spark Foundry and PML, the campaign is part of a wider media mix spanning digital, TV and radio. Out of Home plays a unique role within that mix by delivering physical prompts in trusted public spaces during moments of high attention and longer dwell time. The Point of Search research found that mobile searches made while out and about are more varied than at-home searches and often lead to action.
On street, the campaign connects the virtual with the visible through a strong national presence. Large format roadside, bus shelters and Adbox panels are live in high-traffic areas such as Pearse Street, Donnybrook, Dún Laoghaire, and central locations in Limerick and Cork, reaching commuters, shoppers and leisure audiences. Several sites feature the Adbox Extra format, creating a frame-breaking wraparound effect that boosts standout on the street.
A special build bus shelter near Dublin city centre brings the campaign’s digital concept into the physical world. Topped with a large map marker, the shelter mirrors the online platform’s pin drop feature in a literal and eye-catching way.
The creative taps into personal sentiment, with lines like “Where we should have kissed” and “Where you hang out every Friday after school.” Created by VCCP, these emotional messages act as prompts to search, nudging passers-by toward the Worldwide Hide platform and encouraging them to get involved.
Smirnoff takes Ice to the streets
Smirnoff is back on Outdoor this cycle, launching its new ready-to-drink format for Irish audiences. As part of a major relaunch by Diageo, the citrus-flavoured Smirnoff Ice has been given a fresh look and is now available in sleek 250ml cans. The brand is rolling out a full cross-channel campaign aimed at reintroducing the drink to a new generation of consumers. Outdoor creative keeps the message simple and bold with “Bring the Ice.”
The campaign includes two standout special builds that create strong visual impact in Dublin. A Golden Square on Aungier Street and a 48 Sheet in Ranelagh feature 3D can installations bursting from the billboard. These are set against vibrant blue backdrops with yellow typography designed to grab attention.
Alongside the specials, the campaign runs nationally across classic 48 Sheets and digital screens in locations including Kilkenny, Galway, Drogheda, Limerick, Letterkenny and Waterford, helping to ensure strong coverage and consistency across regions.
While the ready-to-drink space has grown increasingly competitive, this campaign signals a confident comeback for one of its early leaders. Diageo has described Smirnoff Ice as a sleeping giant in its portfolio. With a renewed focus this year, the brand is positioning itself to once again play a leading role in the market.
Roseann Spence, Snr. Shopper Marketing Manager, Diageo noted:
“We are thrilled to feature the 3D Special Builds as part of our comprehensive marketing relaunch of Smirnoff Ice. They create stunning impact and are genuinely disruptive with real stopping power. The innovative design and 3D cans ensure, first and foremost the product stands out, boldly announcing that Smirnoff Ice is BACK and ready for consumers to enjoy!”
Out of Home is a key part of that strategy. Large-format executions play a strong role in building brand presence. Our IMPACT Attention research shows that 67 percent of adults have discovered new brands through Outdoor advertising.
IKEA Highlights Click and Collect Locations with LIVEPOSTER
IKEA is live on Outdoor this cycle with a dynamic campaign promoting its Click and Collect service in Tesco stores across Ireland. ‘Ways to Shop’ extends the omnichannel campaign’s “Monster Puppet” to Outdoor formats. Created by Mother, and riffing off classic B-movies, the creative features a giant puppet version of the iconic blue Ikea building moving across the city to new locations.
This movement is emphasised in the changing copy, powered by LIVEPOSTER. The campaign is fully localised and designed to encourage engagement, highlighting a convenience-driven option that bridges online ordering with local collection.
After a successful pilot in Cork, Louth and Kildare, the brand has now rolled the service out to 21 Tesco locations across the country. Customers can order online and collect from their local Tesco carpark.
The OOH creative mirrors this approach. Using dynamic digital panels through PML Group’s MAPS platform, the campaign features IKEA’s recognisable blue warehouse character brought to life with eyes and legs. Messaging is tailored by location, such as “Click and collect just 30km away at Tesco Superstore Carrick-on-Shannon.”
The campaign runs across formats including dynamically enabled Adshel Live and Commuter dPods, static digital Tesco Digiscreens and iVisions in both roadside and retail environments in places like Arklow, Mullingar, Castlebar, Dundalk and Bray. 6 Sheets flesh out the campaign along proximity bus routes, ensuring the campaign delivers visibility in areas with strong footfall and frequency.
Our The Point of Search research found that six in ten consumers said they were more likely to search when a location was referenced in an OOH ad. That connection between physical visibility and digital action is one of the reasons Outdoor remains such an important part of omnichannel strategy.
Support from our IMPACT Attention study shows that 88 percent of people believe Out of Home is effective at informing the public about new services. Context matters too, with 65 percent saying that location-relevant messages capture their attention. That figure is even higher among certain age groups, and 60 percent of people are more likely to notice future ads from brands that personalise their message to a place.
