Spring Awakening: Time to Reclaim the Outdoors
By the end of February, I notice my office is no longer shrouded in darkness by 4:30pm. Even an errant snowfall is short-lived and laughable. A mere three weeks later, daylight stretches well beyond 6 p.m. Forget Christmas in New York; this is absolutely the best time of the year, because early spring is the season of light, and with light comes hope. At this moment anything is possible. The Yankees and the Mets can make the post season. Any one of us can train and be ready for the New York Marathon. Shared summer houses still sound like an awesome idea.
As we shed our once cherished Canadian goose-feather parkas, give up the boots for sandals and consider the best haircut for spring, we emerge like bears from hibernation; hungry for adventure and ready to explore. And explore we will as we converge en masse onto the streets of New York and towards the Tri-State beaches, into the parks and onward to the sidewalk cafes. In short, this the season that we reclaim the outdoors.
And that is exactly why Outfront is the official medium of New York’s summer.
Think about it. Any journey you take from your front door or your office lobby to, well, anywhere, includes Outfront. Starting now, New Yorkers will be making more frequent (and more pleasant!) journeys.
Scenario One: A lingering snowy day in early March.Rush-hour morning commute to work. 6 train to Union Square.
- Seen: 6 train placards featuring Away Travel luggage, Union Square station domination by L.A. Tourism. Maybe there’s time to squeeze in a quick spring getaway after all … send group message to friends to see who is in.
Scenario Two: First 80 degree day in April. Lunchtime. Head for the food court in Times Square.
- Seen: Times Square Roadblock featuring Oakley (photo at top), which reminds me, I need a new pair of sunglasses. Also, bus ad for Haagen-Dazs (photo below), digital urban panels promoting the NCAA finals.
Scenario Three: Yankee Stadium in May. After work. Take the 4 train to 161st Street.
- Seen: Grand Central Station domination by Uniqlo, 4 train placards featuring a local NYC rec league (Play Big Apple) and adverts for Stella at 161st Street. Been thinking about joining the company softball team. I think this is my year. I had better beer up -- I mean gear up.
Scenario Four: Botanical gardens in June. Saturday from Westchester. Take Metro North to Botanical Gardens stop.
- Seen: Ads for The Great Comet on Broadway shows on Metro North, as well as a new theater ticket app, TodayTix. Use my ride downtime to plan a trip into the city and book a show.
Scenario Five: Fire Island for July 4th. LIRR to Bay Shore station.
- Seen: Inspiration overload with Target ads featuring adorable cookout essentials. Casper Mattress delivery service with a $50 off coupon code. Wonder if they deliver to my Fire Island house before my uninvited guests show up? Take phone out to investigate.
Outfront visually tells brand stories in places and ways that feel contextually relevant (read: right) to New Yorkers. Our media has always been woven into the fabric of the city, but the narrative Outfront helps brands tell now is more indelible because we capture the whole journey and are able to find the right point in time and location to make the story feel connected.
When you want to talk to New York, you’ve got to be Outfront. Really, it’s the only language we understand.
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The opinions and points of view expressed in this article are exclusively the views of the author and/or subject(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillage.com/MyersBizNet, Inc. management or associated bloggers.
Jodi Senese
As CMO of Outfront Media, Jodi Senese oversees all aspects of marketing including research, advertising and creative services, and is integral in developing new business strategies for the company. Responsible for leading the rebrand of Outfront, she launche…
