Software firm Canva is poking fun at digital marketing mishaps with a larger-than-life special build out-of-home at London’s Waterloo gallery kicking off a wider campaign.
Developed by the Australian brand’s UK creative agency of record Stink Studios, the campaign will see all 14 billboards at the Waterloo gallery taken over, transforming the space into a “live demonstration of Canva’s design capabilities.”
Running from today (16 June), each execution is designed to spotlight one of Canva’s workplace tools and their function in an exaggerated and humorous form.
“Our latest UK campaign features some very special builds, letting the Canva product loose in the real world. This is all about showing the power of Canva with a touch of our playful spirit and a dash of British tongue in cheek humour,” said Tom Carey, creative director Europe at Canva.
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Make the logo bigger you say? How about one too big for the billboard. Oh, the 16X9 was supposed to be 9X16? Try Canva’s Magic Resize. Drag and drop almost anything? Yes, even a Forest Bike. Our hope is that these billboards make passersby smile half as much as they did when we were designing them.”
With media planning and buying handled by OMD, and special build constructions from Talon and grand Visual, the Waterloo takeover will be supported by a digital rollout across YouTube and LinkedIn throughout the summer.
Melissa Cosneau, marketing director Europe at Canva added: “Gallery-wide takeovers like this are rare, which is exactly why we saw the opportunity to do something extraordinary. By transforming a high-traffic transit space into a fully branded environment, we’re not just creating visibility – we’re creating impact.
“This is about media as theatre: from large-scale special builds to subtle contextual touches, we’ve used the space not just to advertise, but to tell a story. This gallery takeover is a conversation starter, a selfie backdrop, a shareable moment, crafted to live as powerfully in the environment as it does beyond it.”
