skills/creative-director/references/legendary-campaigns/cards/ibm-smarter-cities-2013.md

---
id: ibm-smarter-cities-2013
title: Smarter Cities
brand: IBM
agency: Ogilvy France
year: 2013
country: FR
region: europe
industry: b2b
pattern: [P17]
category: ooh_print
idea_type: advertising
involvement: passive_view
channel: physical
duration: campaign
goal: [awareness, purpose]
budget: medium
emotion: [hopeful, proud]
emotion_tier: 2
insight_domain: community
media_epoch: social
awards: [cannes_grand_prix, multiple]
quality_score: 9
scalability: universal
risk: safe
confidence: high
quality: full
source_url: https://www.theverge.com/2013/6/8/4408722/ibm-people-for-smarter-cities-advertising-campaign-ogilvy-france-video
---

# Smarter Cities (IBM · 2013)

## Insight
IBM builds technology infrastructure for cities. Abstract corporate claims about "smarter cities" mean nothing to people experiencing a hot day, a rainstorm, or tired legs. What if the city's infrastructure itself became IBM's advertising medium?

## Mechanic
Ogilvy France created OOH installations that were also functional urban infrastructure: a billboard that became a rain shelter with a bench, a poster that directed pedestrians through a ramp, a billboard that formed a seating ledge. Each incorporated the Smarter Planet logo. The design IS the proof.

## Why it worked
P17 (Design as Idea): the outdoor unit is not a picture of a smarter city — it IS a smarter city intervention, in miniature. The gap between "advertising that claims" and "advertising that does" is eliminated. IBM's competency is demonstrated in the format of the ad.

## Steal
When your brand's promise is about improving public infrastructure or human experience, make your advertising do exactly that — at whatever scale your budget allows. The smallest functional improvement outperforms the largest claim.

## Related
- Pattern: [[../MOC-pattern.md#p17]]
- Sibling: [[absolut-absolut-campaign-1981.md|Absolut _____]]
- Sibling: [[apple-think-different-1997.md|Think Different]]

---

*Author: Serge Shima ([t.me/aimastersme](https://t.me/aimastersme) · [sergeshima.com](https://sergeshima.com) · [aimasters.me](https://aimasters.me)) · License: CC BY 4.0 — attribution required · Source: [smixs/creative-director-skill](https://github.com/smixs/creative-director-skill)*