Aaron Poole, marketing executive, PML Group with this week’s Out \ Look on Out of Home
Special builds continue to offer standout potential across the Outdoor landscape this summer, particularly when paired with smart planning and a wider format mix. This cycle, three campaigns have pushed beyond the standard poster space, each bringing physical presence, location context and brand messaging together in different ways.
National Lottery’s Gold Standard
There’s a new kind of shimmer on the quays this cycle that turns heads, catches light, and glints just enough to make you look twice.
National Lottery is live with a product launch campaign on Out of Home for the new All Cash Millionaire Scratch Card. Planned by Starcom and Source out of home, a centrepiece spangley special at Usher’s Quay is supported by a broader campaign running across Mall Digital, Digital Station Galleries, Tesco Digiscreens, T-Sides and forecourts, reaching audiences at key decision moments from commute to point of sale.
The special build takes over the Ushers Quay Golden Square with an all-gold finish and a literal break in the wall. A hand, mid-scratch, reaches out from the brickwork, revealing a supersized version of the ticket itself that’s textured, tactile, and unmistakably Lotto.
It’s a creative that feels more celebration than ad. The use of gold spangleys brings movement to the surface, catching sunlight and streetlight throughout the day, and creating a sense of awe for passersby.
The brand’s continued use of innovation reflects what we’ve seen in our IMPACT Attention study, which highlighted how specials play a role in building brand recall, trust and prompting real-world action.
Flogas Powers the Thrill
Flogas is marking its role as Emerald Park’s official sustainable energy partner with a campaign that extends far beyond the park gates. Created by Publicis Dublin and planned by Zenith and Source out of home, ‘The Gas Park’ builds a clear narrative around how the energy company supports the park’s operation from EV charging and electricity supply to the installation of 290 solar panels, projected to reduce carbon emissions by 37 tonnes per year.
At street level, the story is brought to life through two bespoke 48 Sheet specials, one at Rathmines Road Upper and another at East Wall. The installations from Alkamee feature a branded Flogas sign breaking free from the billboard frame, bisected by a 3D replica of Emerald Park’s Cu Chulainn rollercoaster. Lighting effects and a full complement of stylised riders add movement and realism to the build. The visual is dramatic but tied directly to the brand’s core message: that Flogas energy powers more than just homes, it powers experiences.
Beyond the specials, the campaign runs across a combination of classic/digital 48s, T-Sides and Adshel Bus Shelters, ensuring sustained presence through high-reach formats while the custom sites serve to elevate brand perception and deepen contextual relevance.
Rita Kirwan, Marketing and Communications Director at Flogas, commented “You see the Gas Part about Flogas is that the Gas part is only part of it’! Customers get two Free tickets to Emerald Park when they renew with Flogas or switch to Flogas on Flogas.ie. It’s super exciting to see one of Irelands favourite family attractions using Flogas solar panels and EV chargers now too”.
Apache Pizza is ‘Extra’ in Every Way
In a playful execution, Apache Pizza has introduced ‘exploding’ Supersides as part of its latest brand campaign. Created by Javelin and planned by Dentsu and PML, the work supports Apache’s new ‘We Love Extra’ platform and the promotion of its ‘Double Deal’ offer of two large pizzas for €26.99.
The bus sides have been adapted to feature vinyl pizza boxes that extend out of the standard format, giving the illusion of fresh slices emerging into the street—a simple but effective embellishment that brings the creative to life in the real world. The wider campaign spans standard Supersides, Metropoles, Commuter Squares and Adshel Bus Shelters, delivering frequency across high-traffic urban and suburban routes.
Speaking about the new creative direction, Javelin noted: “There’s a lot that is truly ‘extra’ about the Apache brand; constant very tasty product innovation, incredible value, and a big physical footprint close to their customers all over Ireland.”
Specials are a fun, innovative, and effective means of generating brand recall. Our Special Effects study highlights the hugely positive impact that specials have in terms of noticeability, brand perception, and activation. Three quarters of people believe specials make a brand seem exciting while 84% agree that specials are more noticeable than standard poster ads.
Additionally, as noted in our IMPACT Attention study, non-conventional executions like those mentioned above are proven attention drivers, with 85% of respondents finding them effective for brand recall. The campaign also aligns with findings from PML Group’s Special Effects study, where 78% of audiences agreed that specials make a brand seem innovative, and 68% were likely to tell others about specials they’ve seen.
