The Colombo Gets All Kinds of Cheeky

A colorfully curated set of images that reads as an Instagram feed, The Colombo’s (Christchurch, New Zealand) homepage is visually appealing from top to bottom. Scroll over each image and up pops a disguised link to its must-see features like visual diary, look book, and blog, and charms like “Find Your Craft Beer at the Beer Library,” “Underground Coffee Company,” and “The Painted Room.” Move from the homepage to the blog and see a similar, completely relatable format.

From first glance, The Colombo is the definition of hip, relevant, and stylish. And thanks to New Zealand Media and Entertainment (NZME), a recent Hey You! billboard campaign elevated all three factors. As a client of the integrated media company, the center hosted a talkback like no other. Branded “The Colombo in Cathedral Square,” the marketing team took to the streets to grab the attention of the public and start a one-way dialog with those passing by. A temporary addition to the buzzing outdoor spot, The Colombo placed a billboard front and center to show off its playful side and interact with the community in a non-traditional way.

Reading: Lots of Christmas shoppers and a cheeky billboard with all the right fashion advice, the opening of the campaign video sets the tone for viewers. With the song “Little Party Queen Rework” by Next Is Best playing in the background, listeners can match the first two words of the lyrics to the title of the campaign. Just an afternoon out and about, the video catches all types of people reacting to messages from the billboard, ranging from compliments to sassy quotes such as, “I didn’t believe in love at first sight until I saw your outfit”, “Girl you’re a 10 (Guy, a 7) Get him a new outfit from The Colombo,” “Why are you wearing those jeans?” and “REOW! You single?” That’s just to name a few.

Posted in 2017, the video received over 3,200 views and 107 reactions via the center’s blog and Facebook page. Catching on camera lots of laughing and picture snapping, the duo publicly proved the benefit to being direct, just like that friend you count on for fashion approval, and thinking outside the box—or in this case, the shopping center.

Click here to view the video below.