The Outdoor Media Association (OMA) has unveiled the winners of its Quarter Three Creative Collection competition for 2023, celebrating the best in outdoor advertising.

The competition saw 31 entries from OMA members, including industry heavyweights such as JCDecaux, oOh!media, QMS, Scentre Group Brandspace, Cartology, TorchMedia, goa and Val Morgan Outdoor (VMO). The judging panel, comprising representatives from JCDecaux, iNova Pharmaceuticals, DesignStreet, and QMS, was tasked with the challenging job of selecting the winners. The entries were evaluated based on their creativity, effectiveness in grabbing attention, and ability to inspire emotion.

Among the standout campaigns, the Barbie campaign was highlighted by Abigail Holmes, Head of Client Strategy & Campaign Solutions at JCDecaux. Holmes praised the campaign for its exceptional use of multiple formats, which helped it stand out in the Best Use of Multi-format category.

The Uber Eats campaign also received commendation from Christine Le Maitre, Head of Marketing ANZ at iNova Pharmaceuticals.

"We saw effective use of colour in the Uber Eats campaign, Get Almost Almost Anything 2.0, in the Big, Bold, and Bright category by utilising the brand's distinctive and iconic colours and tone of voice. This makes the campaign instantly recognisable and builds brand awareness," she commented.

Mick Lakin, Creative Director at DesignStreet, singled out the LifeBlood 'Big, Bold & Bloody Unmissable' campaign for its strong branding and contextually relevant messaging. The judges were also very impressed that the red colour perfectly matched the tram colour to create a seamless design.

Meanwhile, Sara Lappage, Chief Operating Officer at QMS, applauded the Network 10 Hunted campaign for its effective use of Digital OOH in a cross-channel campaign integration.

"By focusing on individuals in the series and inviting the public to play along, Network 10 created an immersive campaign that used Digital OOH to their advantage; delivering broadcast reach and contextual relevance with the right message, in the right environment, at the right time," she said.

Elizabeth McIntyre, CEO of the OMA, lauded the winners for their exceptional creativity and effectiveness. "The winners of this quarter's competition have truly demonstrated the power of outdoor advertising in capturing attention and evoking emotion," she said.

"The winners were a good mix of entertainment, services, and retail. It’s clear that some deep thinking went into these creatives to grab attention, a smile, and even a laugh. Inspiring emotion in advertising is hard to do, but when it happens it has the power to cement the brand into long-term memory."

The Creative Collection, launched in 2013, recognises exceptional OOH campaigns each quarter across several categories. This competition is a testament to the creativity and innovation that continues to thrive in the outdoor advertising industry, despite the challenges posed by the digital age.