In 2013, Publicis Italy’s Billboard Trap for Orphea Insecticide blurred the line between advertising and live experiment. This artistic expression of product evolved over days to make a killer point.
Bringing to life, a show, don’t tell, mentality, the intent was to dramatize the product’s efficacy not through words or images – but through real, captured insects.
Unveiled in 2013, instead of traditional ink or printing, the outdoor poster in Milan was sprayed with a transparent adhesive made from Orphea’s active ingredient. Over time, it trapped hundreds of flies and mosquitoes, gradually revealing the brand logo as the insects accumulated.
The interactive billboard was installed along Viale Belfiore, one of Milan’s busiest outdoor advertising corridors. Its location ensured high foot and car traffic during the early summer mosquito season when insect control products are most relevant.
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JCDecaux provided the media site and structural engineering needed to safely host the experiment. The billboard was designed to withstand outdoor conditions for several weeks while maintaining adhesive efficacy
Passersby watched the ad “build itself” day by day. The campaign won global awards for innovation, including Cannes Lions and Clio recognition, and became a viral phenomenon for its daring realism. ‘The Billboard Trap’ demonstrated that the best proof sometimes isn’t visualized – it’s lived, caught, and counted.
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