Situation:

The Spanish bull is considered the "king of beasts". Historically and culturally, it holds a very special place in the country’s flora and fauna. The Osborne bull, on the other hand, is probably Spain’s most emblematic image, holding a special place in the hearts and minds of the Spanish people. With 91 billboards on roads and highways across the country, its importance is such that Congress and the Supreme Court awarded it heritage status due to its cultural and artistic interest, and today it is the only billboard to have survived legislation banning roadside advertising.

Brief:

Announce the launch of the live action version of The Lion King, one of the franchise’s most iconic film titles.

Objectives:

Maximise brand awareness and impact and mobilise our target audience to go to the cinema to watch the film.

Our audience comprised a very broad target, from teenagers to families, so, for maximum impact, we placed The Lion King’s billboard in an advantageous spot beside the M-40, one of Madrid’s main access routes. We rolled out this OOH campaign from mid-July to mid-August, during peak holiday travel dates. This singular billboard was seen by 4 million people, many of whom became social and media advocates, amplifying the message and taking it to every corner of Spain.

We scouted for ideal locations with close proximity to Madrid’s major roads. They needed to be private premises since these were the only spaces where we could build our billboard. But finding the ideal location to set up an installation in the style of the Osborne bull wasn’t enough. We needed to ensure that its visibility would be spectacular, in keeping with the tradition of the famous “toro bravo”. Plus, we wanted to convey the idea of “ousting the bull”; of hijacking one universal icon and replacing it with another. So, finally, we found the perfect spot: a raised area of uncluttered land with lots of through traffic. The billboard was installed in one day, where it stood pride of place for an entire month.

The billboard was 16 metres wide by 6 metres high.

The film grossed over 35M euros and was seen by more than 6 million cinemagoers, crowning it Spain’s blockbuster film of the year.

At cinemas, “The Lion King” reigned supreme, but it also enjoyed a roaring success on the street. 99% of related social media content posted by users was positive. More than 65 media outlets echoed the campaign throughout Spain, including major TV networks, radio stations and digital press, with some audio-visual media giving it extensive prime time coverage.