If you’re driving on the Delhi-Noida Direct (DND) Flyway in the National Capital Region, chances are that you’ve already noticed a giant, working fan with rotating blades mounted onto a billboard. Set against a green, foliage-inspired backdrop, the creative integrates the product — Orient Electric Aero O2 fan — directly into the hoarding, turning it into a functional demonstration from a static display.
Similarly, home appliances brand Kelvinator’s pan-India Summer Paused campaign uses three-dimensional billboards featuring ice-themed elements and frozen textures to showcase its heavy-duty WiFi inverter air conditioners. Meanwhile, real estate developer Godrej Properties created a striking 3D illusion with an architectural façade emerging from a standard billboard, blurring the boundary between advertising and architecture.
Welcome to the world of immersive, technology-led outdoor advertising in which brands are investing in three-dimensional and digital out-of-home (DOOH) experiences to stand out in crowded urban spaces.
Industry veterans say the shift reflects a broader change in marketing strategy — from simply buying visibility to creating memorable brand experiences. “As media environments become cluttered, brands need to shift from visibility to experience,” says Shantiswarup Panda, head of marketing & visual merchandising at Indriya, Aditya Birla Jewellery. The jewellery brand has incorporated both physical 3D hoardings and anamorphic installations into its premium branding strategy.
“Our 3D hoardings in markets like Indore, where bangles and earrings literally step out of the frame, go beyond attracting attention. They build memorability and spark organic conversations,” says Panda.
Atul Shrivastava, director & CEO of advertising company Laqshya Media Group, says the demand for innovative billboard executions has risen steadily across sectors ranging from FMCG to aviation. “The innovation lies in the creative execution, and the budgets vary as per the concept,” he says. Laqshya has executed campaigns for brands such as Santoor, Chandrika, Tata Tea, Fortune, Air India and Jeep.
The investment required depends on the scale and complexity of the execution. A 3D-DOOH installation can cost anywhere between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 50 lakh a month, while premium digital billboards range from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 15 lakh a month depending on the city, screen size and location.
According to Balwant Mehra, founder and MD of Global Media Marketing and Communications, premium digital sites command rentals of up to Rs 50 lakh a month, compared with Rs 10-15 lakh for conventional hoardings in prime locations, underscoring advertisers’ growing willingness to pay for more engaging outdoor media.
The next wave of growth is expected to come from beyond the metros. Rajesh Radhakrishnan, co-founder and chief marketing officer of Vritti iMedia, a division of Vritti Solutions, a pioneer in DOOH media, says brands are exploring 3D OOH in transit environments such as Metro stations, railway terminals, bus shelters and large cultural gatherings. The company has executed anamorphic campaigns for brands like Lux, Lifebuoy, Wheel, Rin, Dove and Clinic Plus.
“From a marketing perspective, 3D OOH delivers value high recall, social amplification when people photograph and share 3D installations on social media, and helps brands communicate innovation,” adds Radhakrishnan.
In terms of experiential marketing, more consumers have become desensitised to conventional advertising, says Chirag Divakaran, co-founder & creative director at advertising agency Orange and Teal. “In billboard-heavy markets such as Bengaluru, 3D installations help brands overcome visual fatigue, while in cities where experiential outdoor advertising is still evolving, they offer an opportunity to introduce something genuinely new,” says Divakaran.
Orange and Teal has experimented with custom die-cut billboards instead of conventional rectangular hoardings, including one for the luxury residential project Amara in Chennai that drew inspiration from the project’s architecture.