Imagine waiting for a bus late at night, alone at a dimly lit stop, feeling uneasy about your surroundings. Now picture having a virtual companion to keep you company until your ride arrives. This is the reality being brought to life by Eletromidia, Brazil’s leading out-of-home advertising company, through its innovative Abrigo Amigo project. Launched in collaboration with ad agency AlmapBBDO, this initiative is transforming bus shelters into safe havens while seamlessly blending cutting-edge technology with impactful advertising. As of March 17, 2025, the project is expanding across São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Campinas, offering a fresh perspective on urban safety and brand engagement.

What Is the Abrigo Amigo Project?

Abrigo Amigo, originally known as “Guarded Bus Stop,” is an award-winning initiative that took home a Gold Lion at this year’s Cannes festival. Designed to enhance safety at bus stops—especially for women waiting alone after dark—it combines smart technology with a human touch. Eletromidia has partnered with major brands like Santander, Vivo, Bradesco Seguros, Sempre Livre, Diageo, and Anhanguera, along with government support, to roll out 100 high-tech bus shelters across Brazil’s major cities.

The project kicked off with a successful pilot in Campinas in April and is now entering an exciting new phase. The first ten locations have just been unveiled in São Paulo, with plans to expand strategically based on local demand and user needs.

How Abrigo Amigo Works

So, how does this groundbreaking concept actually function? It’s simpler—and smarter—than you might think.

Nighttime Video Calls: From 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., the digital screens at these bus shelters switch from displaying ads to enabling video calls. Equipped with internet access, microphones, and night-vision cameras, they connect users to Eletromidia’s call center.
A Virtual Companion: Anyone waiting can chat with a friendly operator who stays on the line until their bus arrives, offering peace of mind during those vulnerable moments.
Daytime Advertising: During daylight hours, the screens revert to their original purpose—showcasing advertisements—making this a dual-purpose innovation.
This clever use of technology tackles a real social issue while keeping the advertising ecosystem thriving, proving that purpose and profit can coexist.

Why Abrigo Amigo Matters

Safety in urban areas, particularly for women, remains a pressing concern in Brazil and beyond. Abrigo Amigo addresses this head-on by turning a routine wait into a secure, supported experience. Alexandre Guerrero, CEO of Eletromidia, sums it up perfectly: “We’re thrilled about this new stage of the project, which has the potential to make a positive impact on the lives of thousands of people. Eletromidia is dedicated to transforming cities.”

Beyond safety, the initiative showcases how brands can align with social good. Rafael Gil and Rodrigo Almeida, executive creative directors at AlmapBBDO, note, “Abrigo Amigo is a rare opportunity to align commercial goals with a social purpose.” It’s a win-win: companies demonstrate their technological prowess while contributing to a safer society.

Key Benefits for Users and Brands

Enhanced Safety: Women and other vulnerable individuals feel more secure at night.
Brand Visibility: Partnering companies gain exposure through a meaningful, high-impact campaign.
Innovative Tech: Eletromidia proves its leadership in out-of-home advertising with this forward-thinking solution.
The Rollout: Where and When
The project is unfolding in stages, starting with a soft launch of ten bus shelters in São Paulo. Rio de Janeiro and Campinas will follow, with the remaining locations activated based on data like user demand and local safety needs. This phased approach ensures the initiative adapts to real-world conditions, maximizing its effectiveness.

The pilot in Campinas laid the groundwork, and now, with private-sector backing and government collaboration, Abrigo Amigo is poised to scale up and make a lasting difference.

What’s Next for Abrigo Amigo?

As the project grows, it’s likely to inspire similar efforts worldwide. The blend of technology, safety, and advertising could become a blueprint for other cities grappling with urban challenges. For now, Brazil is leading the charge, showing how innovation can transform something as simple as a bus stop into a lifeline.

Final Thoughts: A Step Toward Safer, Smarter Cities

Abrigo Amigo is more than just a clever advertising gimmick—it’s a testament to the power of technology to address real human needs. By making bus stops safer and more connected, Eletromidia and its partners are setting a new standard for what out-of-home advertising can achieve. Whether you’re a commuter seeking security or a brand looking to make a meaningful impact, this project offers something worth celebrating. As it expands across Brazil in 2025, Abrigo Amigo is proving that small changes can lead to big transformations—one bus stop at a time.

Credits
Campaign: Abrigo Amigo
Agency: AlmapBBDO
CEO: Filipe Bartholomeu
CCOs: Luiz Sanches and Marco “Pernil” Giannelli
Executive Creative Directors: Rafael Gil and Rodrigo Almeida
Creatives: Rafael Gil, Rodrigo Almeida, Ingryd Cruz, Gustavo Tasselli, and Fernando Christo
Liaisons: Fernando “Fefo” Silva and Manuella Gavioli
Media: Rafaela Alves, Suellen Kiss, and Thiago Gonzales
Film Production: CINE
Scene Directors: Walk In
Approval: Lucio Schneider and Marcelo Pacheco

This campaign is about:
Abrigo Amigo project, Eletromidia, Women safety, Bus stops, Brazil, Smart Tech, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Urban safety, out-of-home advertising, innovative bus shelters, safety technology, AlmapBBDO, women protection, Brazilian cities, public safety initiative, OOH Campaigns.

To combat Miami’s frequent extreme heat waves, Coors Light debuted “Chillboards,” a new experiential eco-and social-conscious campaign.

An innovative activation was developed by a team to revolutionize the out-of-home advertising experience. Using a specially designed white paint that reflects 85% of sunlight, Chillboards were created, covering an area equivalent to 160 typical billboards. The main objective was to raise awareness of a global issue while also providing relief to an overheated community in Miami, Florida.

To ensure the message was disseminated to a wider audience, a custom dynamic typeface was crafted that could adapt to each rooftop, covering 96% of the targeted area. The entire process was captured on film and shared online, allowing viewers to experience the campaign’s impact, even if they were unable to witness it in person.

Credits
Advertising Agency: DDB Chicago, Nord DDB Denmark, Adam&EveDDB

Tags: Out-of-home advertising, Chillboards, Global awareness, White paint technology, Dynamic typeface, Miami, Florida, Innovative advertising, Sustainable advertising, Environmental awareness, Brand awareness

An advertising campaign launched in newspapers and out of home, scheduled for the last two weeks of June.

All the companies that chose to join the project Rainbow Brands created by Dentsu had the opportunity to be protagonists with their logos in different subjects and media formats.

The creative idea draws its strength from simplicity: a multi-brand rainbow, where each one is associated with a rainbow flag colour.

Thanks to the support of IGPDecaux, Urban Vision and VG Pubblicità, the campaign is out of home in Milan, with maxi-billboard formats in Piazzale Lodi and special positions inside the Cadorna Metro.

But most of all, it has been published in newspapers just below the news of the debate about Italy’s anti-homophobia law between government and Vatican’s with a perfect media placement.

Stefano Morelli, a chief creative officer of Dentsu, says about the initiative: “We are very proud of this campaign because it testifies to the deepest and most authentic sense that Pride tries to teach us: the praise of diversity. Large companies that share the market attention daily now share the same space is a powerful signal. When individualisms are put aside, and small differences are cancelled out, unthinkable goals can really be achieved. In a common victory. A rainbow in which diversity is the key ingredient of a shared message. Because sometimes all it takes is a simple idea and the desire to share a space to send out a great signal”.

Credits
Agency: Dentsu
Campaign: Rainbow Brands
Production: The Story Lab

An algorithm extracted data from the NYC Dog Licensing Dataset, linked each dog to a Puppo health benefit, and used a modular copy and art direction system to generate a unique ad for every dog.

Owners were targeted by ZIP Code with posters, digital OOH and digital display. Each ad started a shopping experience tailored to their dog.

In one week, the personalised ads saw an increase in website users of 68%, of which 28% came directly from our posters. There was also a 144% increase in organic searches for Puppo.

Kimberley Ragan, Colenso BBDO creative director, explained, “We all love our dogs, and having your dog, with all his or her unique personality quirks, pigeon-holed into small, medium or large breed, isn’t always what’s best for the dog.

“Straying from the typical one-ad-for-100,000 consumers format, instead creating one ad for each of the 100,000+ dogs who live in New York City, allowed us to connect with owners in a more meaningful way, and help them find the right diet for their pup.”

Puppo – Every dog has its ad from Colenso BBDO on Vimeo.

Credits
Client: Puppo
Leonid Sudakov – President, Kinship
Winson Wong – Head of Kinship Labs
Adelyn Zhou – Head of Marketing, Puppo
Carrie Deverell – Head of Corporate Affairs, Kinship

Lead Creative Agency: Colenso BBDO Auckland
Media Agency: Mediacom US & Milk Money
Consumer PR Agency: DKC
Social Agency: SocialFly

Source

Tags:
Innovation, QR Code, petcare, OOH Campaign, digital display, Out of home advertising, Technology, Health, Dog

To create excitement in the region about the sale, Mastercard secured some of the busiest out of home advertising spaces in the UAE, as well as an array of digital and print creative in the region.

Credits
Creative Agency: Fp7 Dubai And Mccann Worldgroup
Global Executive Creative Director: Adrian Botan
Global Executive Creative Director: Pierre Lipton
Executive Creative Director: Fouad Malak
Art Director: Edu Cesar
Art Director: Paulo Engler
Copywriter: Nerine Gardiner
Copywriter: Daniel Osorio

Production
Motion Designer: Lucas Fuse
Motion Designer: Deydson Rocha

Support
Executive Creative Director: Oliver Robinson

Tags:
Financial, Solar eclipse, Credit Card, Experiential marketing campaign, Engagement marketing, out of home advertising, Astronomical Sales, OOH

“Casual people, who were in Tbilisi mall just minding their business, unexpectedly would be put in a truly unique position. We would surprise them with a chance to experience remarkable feeling of being the maestro!
We recalled the saying : “He who doesn’t risk never gets to drink champagne” and people who could find the courage, were welcomed with a miracle.”

Maestro – Only those who risk it, deserve to drink it

Credits: 
Brand: Maestro wine by Badagoni
Advertising Agency: Leavingstone, Tbilisi, Georgia
Creative Director: Levan Lepsveridze
Executive Director: Natia Gogia
Copywriter: Niko Ksnelashvili
Creative Producer: Mariam Menteshashvili
Graphic Designer: Keta Zhorzholiani
Set Designers: Erekle Tsintsadze, Dima Arsanisi
Decoration Artists: Vakho Janashia, Misha Psuturi, Merab Maxoxashvili
Video Editor: Gigi Jikia
Sound Design: Betkho’s Audio Lab
Motion Graphic: Irakli Cheishvili
Color Correction: Giorgi Qobalia / Film Asylum

Tags: Best On ground Campaigns, Out-of-home advertising, Creative Technology ideas, Innovative ads