The ArtEverywhereUS campaign featured 58 classic pieces of art at more than 50,000 outdoor displays. The campaign won the local Best in Show ADDY Award. Courtesy Extra Credit Projects
An ad agency is a creative design partner for a national campaign that's presenting some of the greatest pieces of American artwork in outdoor spaces throughout the country.
ArtEverywhereUS
Extra Credit Projects in Grand Rapids is helping the Outdoor Advertising Association of America with its ArtEverywhereUS campaign.
Five of America’s leading art museums selected works of art that represent American history and culture, and the final list of pieces was selected through public online voting earlier this year at ArtEverywhereUS.org.
With the help of the agency, the top 58 pieces are being featured on more than 50,000 outdoor displays across the country during the campaign, which launched this week and ends on Aug. 31.
Extra Credit Projects has “done hundreds of designs” for the national launch, said Rob Jackson, principal and creative director.
He added that the firm has helped fulfill all the digital content for the campaign, including “many Times Square locations.”
Several partners, including media, are collaborating on the project: The Dallas Museum of Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Art Institute of Chicago, Whitney Museum of American Art and the National Gallery of Art.
"Outdoor art show"
“This is the largest outdoor art show ever conceived,” said Stephen Freitas, CMO, Outdoor Advertising Association of America. “And categorically, it is the single-largest outdoor campaign ever produced.”
The works will be placed on billboards, bus boards and other outdoor advertising spaces. All of the media space has been donated from outdoor companies around the country.
“The actual artwork for each board was curated based on the pieces’ significance to the location,” Jackson said. “For example, Ed Ruscha’s 'Hollywood' will be displayed on boards across Los Angeles.”
He said he doesn't know if artwork will be displayed in Grand Rapids, but he's hopeful West Michigan will be involved.
The model
The idea for ArtEveryWhereUS originated in the U.K.
“It was meant as a charitable project that aimed to ‘flood the streets with great artwork for a whole summer,’” Jackson explained. “This campaign was so successful with British artwork, OAAA saw the opportunity to expand to the United States and bring great works of American artwork to the people.”
Client relationship
Extra Credit Projects has had a long-time relationship with association.
The organization has been a client since the firm’s origins.
“If there is one thing we associate with, it’s great art,” Jackson said. “And it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to not only be the creative force behind this project, but also be a part of the largest outdoor campaign ever.”
