Pencil to Plant

Belfast City Council has taken an innovative step in outdoor advertising by launching a campaign that prioritises sustainability and creativity through an impactful medium—an Impact Wrap. This campaign uniquely incorporates a tear-away feature, which allows consumers to physically engage with the advertisement and take a piece of it with them. But what makes this campaign truly special is the eco-friendly item consumers are taking home: a plantable pencil.

The pencil is not just a simple giveaway but a brilliant example of how Outdoor advertising can merge functionality with sustainability. Consumers can use this pencil for sketching, writing, or any number of daily tasks, and when it is eventually worn down to a nub, it transforms from a tool into a seed for new growth. The pencil can then be planted to create new beauty. This tangible connection to sustainability creates a lasting impression and encourages consumers to think beyond the product and towards their own role in the environment.

This campaign speaks to the growing trend of using innovative OOH advertising to capture consumer attention in a world where people are constantly bombarded by messages. Research shows that 85% of people find such innovative OOH formats engaging, while 84% view brands that use them as forward-thinking (Impact, 2024). This highlights the strong impact that innovative OOH advertising has on customer engagement.

The Impact Wrap not only aligns with sustainability efforts but it also leverages the increasing consumer demand for advertisements to be entertaining. According to TGI (NI), 55% of adults expect advertising to be entertaining. This expectation pushes brands to think more creatively about how they can capture and sustain attention. In this case, the physical interaction with the ad, coupled with its unique plantable feature, not only entertains but also offers a hands-on experience that keeps the brand message alive even after the consumer has walked away.

Alison O’Neill (Media Director, Ardmore) said  “The Belfast 2024 programme is actively promoting our planet and ways in which we can re-engage with the nature around us. In order to support this we have used this prime Bus Shelter Wrap in Belfast City Centre to tangibly drive sustainability into people’s hands. We planned with attention in mind and this format allowed us to incorporate a tear away component actively encouraging passerbys to engage with the media format. The tear away was a plantable pencil allowing people to use the pencil until it was finished them plant it – cultivating new growth.”

Nicola McNaughton (Account Director, PML) said “The Impact Wrap truly showcases the power of innovation in Outdoor advertising, it blends sustainability with consumer engagement in a really fun and creative way.”

With 85% of consumers finding innovative OOH formats engaging (Impact, 2024), this campaign not only captures attention but also encourages positive environmental action.