The Great OOH Hijack

The OOH world has witnessed a recent surge in a bold, audacious trend: creatively taking over or “hijacking” other brands ads to boost visibility and engagement. This tactic involves piggybacking on the existing presence of another ad to enhance the impact of their own, leveraging the recognition, creativity, and often humour from the neighbouring ad. It’s an unpredictable yet powerful form of guerrilla marketing that doesn’t necessarily follow a structured or pre-organised plan but seizes the opportunity when it arises.

This isn’t your typical ‘partnership’ article where two brands consciously join forces for a mutual cause. Instead, it speaks to the spontaneous, sometimes cheeky, creativity that fuels a desire to turn an existing ad space into a stage for your own brand’s narrative and messaging. The essence is simple: when you see an opportunity, seize it—without formal agreements or prior collaboration.

The creative execution in the realm of OOH advertising has been elevated to a whole new level, as it’s no longer about simply placing a billboard in a busy area. Now, it’s about strategically positioning your ad to appear as though it’s in conversation with, or even responding to, the ad next to it. This bold form of creative execution can provide significant visibility and recognition—particularly when timed perfectly.

Take the example of the Lidl Potato campaign in front of the Berghaus Liam Gallagher mural. With their ad designed in conveniently similar colours to the mural, they didn’t just place an ad nearby; they cleverly aligned their brand with the same space, making it feel like a seamless part of the visual narrative. The strategic placement in front of this iconic ad not only enhanced the aesthetic appeal of Lidl’s message but also sparked a sense of humour in the audience, drawing attention and curiosity.

Another great example involves the Faux OOH red M&M ad placed right in front of the real, giant ‘Red One’ banner ad. The playful use of the red M&M character in such a context elevated the visibility of the ad, using humour and visual harmony to take full advantage of the surrounding media space. Of course, Faux OOH is much easier to execute than real OOH locations, but can still be effective in such a viral, digital PR world.

The brilliance of these campaigns lies in their ability to blend into the environment while making a memorable and often humorous statement. It’s a clever balance of creative execution and opportunistic thinking that resonates with today’s audiences, who are hungry for fresh, unexpected interactions with brands.

One of the core reasons this tactic works so well is the natural appeal of humour and surprise in advertising. By taking over or engaging with an existing OOH ad in an unexpected way, the brand adds a layer of creativity that audiences can’t help but notice. It breaks the monotonous, predictable flow of typical advertising and makes people stop, think, and maybe even chuckle.

Another reason this form of advertising is so effective is that it taps into the power of location and timing. With OOH ads fighting for the high-traffic, demographic hitting areas, there is a significant chance that your brand could get in front of a wide and diverse audience. When done correctly, these hijacking moments don’t just pass by unnoticed—they become viral moments that spark conversations and social media buzz.

One of the most crucial elements of hijacking ads is timing. These opportunities don’t come around often, and part of the brilliance lies in identifying when the moment is right to execute. The concept of “being in the right place at the right time.” If the hijacking is done in the wrong context or at the wrong time, the result can fall flat. But when done well—timing the ad placement with just the right moment in the cultural conversation—it can result in a marketing win. It elevates the brand from simply participating in the advertising game to becoming part of the cultural dialogue.

The world of OOH and creative ad hijacking may seem risky, but when done well, it’s a dynamic, engaging form of advertising that can deliver memorable moments. By finding those rare opportunities to position your brand alongside—or even inside—the narrative of another ad, you’re creating a sense of spontaneity that resonates with today’s audience.

Whether it’s playing off the colour palette of a nearby mural or using humour to complement a neighbouring ad, the tactic of “hijacking” is not just about creative execution; it’s about seizing an unspoken opportunity that exists in the environment around you. Done thoughtfully, it can be a golden opportunity that helps your brand stand out from the crowd—delivering results and, most importantly, building deeper connections with the audience.