Give me shelter: Outdoor ads improve urban life

France – IBM has launched a series of outdoor advertisements to make city life a little easier.

The ads, which promote IBM’s People For Smarter Cities Project, also serve as seats, shelters and ramps for urban travellers. Rather than creating a shelter, for example, and slapping an ad on it, IBM has turned the ads into functional surfaces that fit easily into the city environment, curling over or under to provide support or shelter for pedestrians.

IBM’s campaign, created in partnership with Ogilvy & Mather France, aims to inspire innovative thinking that will drive human health and economic prosperity in urban areas.

Brands are becoming increasingly involved in civic projects and gestures to reach out to consumers. Read our Brandstanding and Renaissance Retail microtrends for more on the widening roles of brands.