AEG | THE WORLD IS NOISY ENOUGH | 2009
The Billboard That Measured the City's Noise / AEG "THE WORLD IS NOISY ENOUGH"
In 2009, a slightly unusual billboard showed up on the streets of London. Advertising AEG's quiet washing machines, this billboard didn't just display an ad—it measured the surrounding noise levels in real time and kept sending that data to a website.
The insight
Everything is packed into one line: the world is already noisy enough. The idea was to let the billboard itself embody the stress city dwellers feel every day.
The idea
They built a noise-measuring device right into the billboard, making visible in real time just how loud the city really is. The measured data was fed back to a website, delivering the message "that's exactly why you need AEG's quiet washing machine" as something people could actually experience.
What happened
This campaign, created by ZenithOptimedia London, won a Gold Lion in the Media category at Cannes Lions 2009.
Afterthought
Instead of just using a billboard as a flat surface to post an ad on, they turned it into a measuring device. That leap of imagination is just wonderful. It's great that back in 2009, someone had the idea of turning the medium itself into an experience—and that it got properly recognized for it. I couldn't find detailed results or reactions, but the concept alone speaks for itself.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Gold 2009
