We developed an interactive “Crying Baby” billboard and placed it inside Time Warner Center, one of the busiest pedestrian areas in NYC. On the billboard, passersby could see and hear a crying baby. There was no message, just the loud, hopelessly crying baby. Within minutes we got responses. At first people looked puzzled. However, once they approached, they realized they were responsible for the baby calming down, stopping crying and smiling. More and more people were drawn to the baby. The longer they stayed, the happier the baby was. Once the baby was soothed, the message “There’s a little bit of parent in all of us.” then the logo “JOHNSON’S® For every little wonder™” appeared. It was a whimsical experience—young and old alike stopped, stayed, shared and left with a smile. And, many felt compelled to repeat the cycle numerous times so as not to leave the baby crying!

On a busy Saturday, for 6 hours, the billboard was installed at Time Warner Center, an upscale shopping mall located in Columbus Circle, NYC—near touristic attractions, residential buildings, and hotels. Besides local residents, the billboard was seen by people from all over the world. Proving that a baby crying is a universal language, as much as the desire to help soothe it is also.

Within minutes of going live, people approached with a puzzled look. When the baby stopped crying and smiled, they were amazed by their ability to interact and calm the baby. They stopped, interacted, and shared with their phones. Young and old alike were drawn to the crying baby. Many people were compelled to experience it multiple times as they interacted with waves, coos, smiles, and even hugs! An older couple that just found out they would soon be grandparents were especially moved. Kids were drawn to the baby and could not walk away—when the billboard cycled back to crying at the end of the experience, they would immediately run back to soothe the baby again. All in all, 869 people interacted on a busy Saturday for 6 hours. We’ll use film captured that day as digital content.