The most coveted award in the business of outdoor advertising is also one of the hardest awards to earn. The OBIE Award is the oldest award known to advertising and celebrates creative excellence in the field of out-of-home.

The 2010 OBIE Award ceremony, held in Phoenix, AZ, began with what will prove to be increasingly relevant words of Steffan Postaer (creator of the Altoids “curiously strong” campaign). In a time where social media is at it’s high, Steffan explains the ever present success of out-of-home.

Right now everyone is talking about social media. And rightly so. New media is a game changer. At its core, social media is about establishing personal connections. But guess what? So is out-of-home.

Frankly, the closer a message is to the street the more “social” it becomes…and the stronger its connectivity with a consumer. Guerilla marketing, street theater, wild posters, if done well, are riveting propaganda and among the strongest weapons in all of marketing. This is why, even as mass media fades in its importance to advertisers, OOH remains relevant, even breakthrough.

–Steffan Postaer Host, OBIE Awards 2010

In celebration of this years Obie Awards we’ve picked out a few that stand out to us.

Chick-fil-A

Winner of the Gold in the Traditional Billboard Campaign category and my personal favorite is Chick-fil-A with a “Beef Iz Sketchy” creative. Executed by The Richards Group, a full service agency in Dallas, TX. This award couldn’t have come at a better time for Chick-fil-A, as they’re slated to open 78 locations in 2010.

Utilizing a very traditional media with excellent copy is a foolproof way to get your brand out there. People notice bulletins and posters; there is no denying that. Paired with excellent copy that entertains and plays on nostalgic notions get people talking.

Etch-A-Sketches are iconic toys that were at the height of their popularity when consumers who are now making the buying decisions were children. Add a couple cows who can sketch, regardless of their lack of opposable thumbs and you have the comedic touch that people love and garners you popularity and widespread word-of-mouth; which is really what this business is all about.

This campaign clearly shows that you don’t need to blow your budget on super bowl commercials. All you need is catchy creative with great outdoor placement.

–Ashley Shipley, Director of Social Media Marketing, a health conscientious twenty-something with a lyric obsession.

Chemical Bank

In the wake of the economic recession, financial institutions have flocked to outdoor advertising to persuade the public to trust them despite tough times. Some banks put up billboards claiming they didn’t receive any TARP money and other banks seized opportunities created by consumer fear, placing messages about financial security at the forefront.

In Michigan, where unemployment hovers over 20% in many counties, it’s a tough task to convince consumers to keep their money anywhere other than a coffee can underneath the mattress. Gravity Six, a collaborative agency formed in 2007 in Grand Rapids, made use of the natural Michigan landscape while striking a chord with the farming and agricultural industries in a billboard campaign for Chemical Bank.

A roll of change sits on a billboard and a dime appears to have dropped off of the roll and into the field next to the billboard, half submerged in the vegetation. In another execution, rolls of hay appear to be rolls of dollars. These are outstanding visuals that when looked at in context of their environment (farmland, fields of crops) the connection is made that the bank is speaking to and caring for actual Michigan folks. To me (and I’m from Michigan originally), the message tells us that Chemical Bank cares about the tough times affecting Michiganders and supports efforts to grow financially within the state.

This outdoor campaign was a great example of combining stunning visuals, natural landscape usage and simple, yet effective copy. Nice work Gravity Six!

–Jay Schmidt, Account Executive, is totally stoked about the Detroit Lions’ latest rebuilding efforts.