What Happened: Spotify partnered with streamer Imane Anys, the Moroccan-Canadian creator known as Pokimane. In October 2022, she created an official playlist that ran on their home page (and was promoted on her Instagram). 

Three months later, they featured her on a billboard in Times Square. Visitors to midtown Manhattan could discover the playlist of “Poki’s Picks.” Pokimane tweeted a photo of the billboard out to her 4.2M followers.

Why It Works: Billboards might seem like an antiquated marketing solution but besides being an effective part of the marketing mix (out of home advertising is growing), it’s a really smart way to amplify an influencer-brand partnership.  

1. For brands, it’s an opportunity to get their message on a physical canvas without having to worry about ad blockers or algorithms.  

2. For brands and influencers, there's geographical clout to New York’s Times Square, which is the most expensive billboard location in the U.S. followed by Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles.

3. For influencers, it signifies that a brand is willing to make a major investment in the partnership. Plus, influencers who see themselves on billboards often feel as if they’ve “made it.”  

4. The ads allow for fan excitement and opportunities to incorporate themselves into the campaign. Fans and followers will often travel to Times Square or Sunset Boulevard to photograph themselves in front of the billboard. 

5. The limited placement — only one ad can be featured at a time — is more prestigious than the limitless sponsored posts or banner ads you see online.    

Note: It’s not necessarily an easy or cost-effective solution. OOH can be expensive, especially if you’re running billboards in key areas. And it certainly involves more planning and production than online ads. Billboards may also have limited targeting capabilities, meaning that a brand’s message may not reach the specific audience they are trying to reach.