Visionary Screen: Blackview Strategic Placement in Russia on the Largest DOOH Display
How to increase the scale of brand presence in Russia using DOOH technologies
All Cases
Background
The second half of 2022 was marked by a record increase in demand for Chinese smartphones in Russia, with piece sales rising to 70% in the segment. This "boom" in Asian brands followed the withdrawal of Western predecessors. In 2023, the turnover of gadgets increased by 80%, accounting for 51% of the market in the budget segment. Due to the sharp increase in prices of European goods, consumers turned to more budget-friendly models. Chinese appliances that meet the financial capabilities of Russians have become a key market segment. This was quickly realized by the brands themselves. Companies already present in Russia were and still are increasing their activity. One such brand was Blackview. The company is known for its unique design and affordable pricing policy. That made Blackview products popular worldwide, including in Russia. The client came to us with a request for a spectacular DOOH (Digital Out-of-Home) campaign in Moscow. RMAA faced a new, ambitious task.
Goal
The client's main requirement was a large-scale impact on a wide audience. Therefore, our main goal was to offer the best DOOH (Digital Out-of-Home) media platform in Moscow for a 1-month placement. The solution required systematization and additional work with creatives.
Solution
The campaign implementation involved several consecutive stages, starting with determining the criteria for selecting an advertising location. We concluded that the key factors here are traffic and the size of the digital facade. Since RMAA has its own catalogs of outdoor advertising objects, the task was solved in the shortest possible time. The client was given access to the most attractive locations in Moscow (note: iconic places) and shown successful cases from previous DOOH projects.
At the final stage of site coordination, the decision was made to locate on Arbat Street, one of the most popular central streets in Moscow. There are three media screens, each with its unique characteristics. The first one is located at the entrance to the Oktyabr movie theater and provides a high level of viewing for visitors. The second screen is clearly visible from the busy New Arbat. However, we advised the client to use the House of Books' digital facade. This option was chosen because of the absence of various interferences such as shadows from the trees, buildings, and other street structures. The area of the placement was 638.78 square meters. The screen is considered to be the largest in Russia today.
Next, we got to work on customizing the creatives. The client wanted to place two 15-second videos on the screen. One of them was dedicated to the Blackview BV 9300 smartphone, the other to the Tab 16 tablet. Both of them had English text, which the client tried to russify by himself. It turned out not to be a very good solution, because the phrases contained various language expressions that lost their meaning in translation. Here, we needed the help of native speakers. RMAA's global goal of "building a bridge between foreign brands and the Russian-speaking consumer" became literally meaningful on this project. For us, this was not the first task of this kind, as our clients often face language barriers.
English client version. Blackview Tab 16. It's an 11-inch Tablet and an 11-inch PC. Bigger than Bigger.
Russian language adaptation. Blackview Tab 16. Экран 11 дюймов - еще больше, чем вы ожидаете. Планшет и ПК в одном устройстве. / The 11-inch screen is even bigger than you'd expect. Tablet and PC in one device.
English client version. Blackview BV 9300. One-Of-A-Kind Precise Measurement/Superbright Rugged Lifestyle. Charge for 3 Hours, Last for 76 Days.
Russian language adaptation. Blackview BV 9300. Уникальный точный дальномер и ударопрочный корпус. Для ярких впечатлений и суровых условий. Заряжается 3 часа - работает 76 дней / Unique precision rangefinder and shockproof housing. For vivid experiences and harsh conditions. Charges in 3 hours - lasts for 76 days.
Also, QR codes were placed on the creatives. So that interested audiences could visit the client's official website or the AliExpress online marketplace, which is popular in Russia.
Media facade at 8 New Arbat Avenue (House of Books)
Media facade at 8 New Arbat Avenue (House of Books)
Media facade at 8 New Arbat Avenue (House of Books)
Media facade at 8 New Arbat Avenue (House of Books)
RMAA always pays attention to the visual aspect of its projects. Therefore, an additional photo/video report was prepared for Blackview. Similar to our approach to DOOH/OOH catalogs, we systematically interact with a base of professional photographers and videographers. This provides our clients and us with prompt access to high-quality visual material.
Results
Blackview's DOOH campaign ran from August 16 to September 15, 2023, on the facade of the "House of Book" building, located on one of Moscow's busiest central streets. The average daily number of screen views amounted to about 547.20 thousand. The success of this project is explained by the prompt selection of the location, a successful visual concept, the adaptation of the creative in Russian, and the fulfillment of additional photo-video tasks. This emphasizes once again the importance of a systematic approach when implementing large-scale campaigns.
