Dive Brief:

• Restaurant chain Bojangles' unveiled an interactive billboard celebrating its Master Biscuit Makers for the upcoming NBA All-Star Game events in Charlotte, North Carolina, the brand’s hometown, according to a press release. 
• The billboard features an image of real Master Biscuit Maker Nate Cox tossing flour in the air and will periodically shoot "simulated flour" into the air during the All-Star weekend. 
• Fans are encouraged to upload a selfie and add a flour-tossing frame at BiscuitBaller.com and share it on Twitter or Instagram with hashtags #BiscuitBaller and #Sweepstakes for a chance to win prizes, including gift cards, an Xbox One S, the NBA 2K19 game and a live demonstration with a Bojangles' Master Biscuit Maker.

Dive Insight:

Billboards have been a key marketing tactic for decades, but the Bojangles' effort illustrates how many marketers are modernizing the format by incorporating interactive elements that create memorable connections with consumers. Out-of-home (OOH) advertising, including billboards, remains highly valued among marketers, even in the digital age. Global OOH spend was projected to reach $38 billion in 2018, a 3% increase over 2017 and 35% jump since 2010, according to Zenith data cited by Recode. OOH offers major returns. Brands that devote 15% or more of their media budgets to OOH can see a 24% increase in brand trust, 106% in perception of brand quality and 275% increase in customer loyalty, according to a study by Rapport, the OOH division of IPG Mediabrands. 

With the new interactive billboard and social media contest, Bojangles is showcasing its scratch-made buttermilk biscuits, which the brand says are made fresh every 20 minutes, and hoping to drum up excitement around the NBA All-Star Game, boost brand awareness with local fans in Charlotte and connect with visitors in town for the events. 

The campaign should resonate with younger consumers, who enjoy quirky branded experiences, like the billboard that shoots flour, and engaging with them on social media. Gen Zers, especially, should find the effort appealing, as they have shown a stronger interest in fast food than older generations and are also more social media savvy. 

The new campaign comes as Bojangles is planning to be taken private by investment firms Duration Capital Management and Jordan Co for $593.7 million. The deal is expected to close in Q1 2019. 

Bojangles flour-shooting billboard follows a nacho-cheese dispensing billboard that Taco Bell Canada unveiled in Toronto in January. Fans were encouraged to visit the display and bring items that they wanted to add cheese to.

ESPN also unveiled a similar billboard activation recently around the college football National Championship Game that included a contest called "Who’s In," featuring a group of superfans who camped out atop the 45-foot high billboard. Each participant represented one of the four semifinal teams and were eliminated as the team lost. The campaign was livestreamed on ESPN's digital channels and fan engagement was encouraged.