HSBC's Digital Billboards in NYC Emit Coloured Light to Promote Plant Growth

Wunderman Thompson North America announced today its collaboration with HSBC Bank USA on the launch of a new digital out-of-home (OOH) advertising campaign entitled 'The Lifegiving Light'. The new campaign underscores the company’s commitment to a sustainable future, coinciding with the 26th Annual UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland.

These specialised digital billboards emit coloured light to promote plant growth, chlorophyll absorption and photosynthesis. They will run during November at bus shelters and LinkNYC screens across Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx. Locations were selected based on their proximity to green space and vegetation. Each digital advertisement will include the following tagline: “What if blue light from an ad could help NYC stay green?”  The messaging is expected to be viewed over 22 million times. The digital activation is part of a larger six-week campaign to highlight HSBC’s key themes: sustainable infrastructure, future of cities, climate tech and commitment to sustainability.

“During COP26, we’re aiming to show our sustainability commitments in action locally,” said Kerry English, head of U.S. marketing at HSBC. “This campaign reinforces the idea that getting to net zero requires bold action, creative thinking and innovative ways of engaging with clients and partners to mobilize the transition to net-zero.”

“To grab people’s attention, we want to show rather than tell,” says Ari Elkouby, Executive Creative Director at Wunderman Thompson Canada, who created the advertising campaign for HSBC. “We had the opportunity to use the media available to highlight HSBC’s global sustainability commitment and create a positive impact for the City of New York.”

As part of HSBC’s Business Plan for the Planet, the bank has committed to invest up to $1 trillion to help the company’s 1.5 million clients worldwide transition to net zero by 2050. HSBC is committed to achieving net zero operations globally by 2030.