Conversation by Dean Udatny, Marketing Director Go2Digital, for Media Marketing.
If you think you’ve seen it all in outdoor advertising, Dino Burbidge will quickly prove you wrong. Founder and head of the creative-innovation consultancy Dinova and the first creative-in-residence of the World Out of Home Organization (WOO), he is coming to Weekend.18 with stories that blur the lines between creativity and technology. His career resembles a rollercoaster ride through children’s television, video games, film, toys, music apps, and even interactive urinals. Along the way, he picked up BAFTA awards, worked with Tim Burton, hung out with the Teletubbies, and met the Queen.
The conversation with Dino Burbidge is a reminder that billboards aren’t just big posters on the roadside. They’re canvases where creativity, technology, and local spirit create stories that remain etched in memory. While some still view billboards as static frames, Dino shows us that they are living organisms ready to surprise, amuse, and inspire us.
MM: What personally inspired you most to explore and showcase “mind-blowing” billboards from around the world?
Dino Burbidge: It hurts me when I see people still unaware of how creative and powerful OOH can be. Every opportunity to show what’s possible and to inspire people to explore OOH more – I’m first in line.
MM: Let’s go back 10–15 years. Could you have imagined today’s billboards with 3D holograms, sensors, and real-time artificial intelligence?
Dino Burbidge: Honestly, yes. My job has always been to try out new technologies, and all those things already existed in some early form back then. It just took time to prove their value and for screen owners to start integrating them. In every country there are leaders and followers, for example, in Croatia Go2Digital is definitely ahead of its time because it integrates sensors and innovative technologies into its screens.
MM: Which example from your list is your favorite – for its creativity, technology, or audience impact?
Dino Burbidge: Tough question. My heart says Women’s Aid, Look At Me, because it was the first interactive billboard I worked on. It won numerous awards, sparked the public’s imagination, and changed perceptions of digital OOH. But I also have great admiration for the simplicity of the Specsavers campaign, because it shows how OOH perfectly uses location as a creative tool.
MM: How important is local creativity? Can Croatia stand alongside global examples?
Dino Burbidge: Croatia is doing the right thing. Not only does it stand alongside the best, it also wins major awards. This year, Go2Digital, in collaboration with agencies Bruketa&Žinić&Gray and Millenium promocija, won the award for best digital creative campaign at the prestigious WOO Awards in Mexico, for a project carried out for Croatia Polyclinic.
Every country has its own “local” OOH character, and Croatia is one of the brightest spots on the European scene. Honestly, it’s exciting to watch.
MM: What do you expect will be the “next big thing” in outdoor advertising – technology, sustainability, or something else?
Dino Burbidge: AI-generated content is already here, although I’m not sure it’s the right path. People are still better at creative thinking. I hope the next big thing will be the simplicity of buying OOH. That anyone can purchase billboard space quickly and easily. The challenge will be to ensure that the quality of creative solutions rises as well, and there AI can help.
MM: How technically demanding is it to make a billboard that becomes a global hit?
Dino Burbidge: Honestly, it isn’t. If you have a technologically advanced partner who encourages innovation, it’s a matter of idea and smart use of the medium. Once you realize that a digital billboard is basically just a giant computer running an HTML page, it stops being intimidating.
MM: What advice would you give young creatives and brands who want to create something spectacular on billboards?
Dino Burbidge: Five things: It’s all about the idea. Keep it simple. Use the location. Ask the local screen owner for advice, they know what works and what doesn’t. And never recycle a print ad.
