Anything is Possible has taken the Natural History Museum’s latest exhibition to new flights of ambition with a dynamic Out-of-Home advertising special build, bringing to life the timeless debate: what came first, the chicken or the egg?

The soaring execution in Shoreditch’s Quaker Street marks the first special build collaboration between aip and the Natural History Museum. It promotes the current Birds: Brilliant and Bizarre exhibition, which offers a sensory-rich experience where visitors are invited to touch, smell, see, and hear different elements of avian existence, exploring the real life of birds in a fully immersive museum environment. 

The Shoreditch activation exemplifies the power of special builds in Out-of-Home advertising, which have been shown to boost purchase intent by up to 35%, a crucial factor in driving ticket sales for the Natural History Museum.

Figures released this month by OutSmart/PwC show an increase in Out-of-Home advertising revenues of 17% compared to the same period last year, when the channel returned to its pre-pandemic heights. This investment has pushed new levels of innovation into OOH builds. 

While Out-of-Home advertising is traditionally not seen as a call-to-action medium, The Birds: Brilliant and Bizarre activation integrates a voting mechanic via QR codes, grabbing attention and inviting public participation to kickstart conversations that extend beyond the museum walls. 

Using the perennial chicken or egg? paradox, the campaign moves the exhibition beyond its natural audience of twitchers and featherheads. By posing the time-honoured question the activation encourages passersby to engage with the debate and vote for their answer, with the added incentive of winning exclusive Natural History Museum merchandise. 

Birds: Brilliant and Bizarre is the Natural History Museum’s first single-species exhibit since 2017’s Whales. The museum’s permanent Birds Gallery is home to a world-leading collection of bird specimens, ranging from endangered species to native British breeds and with a focus on contemporary conservation efforts.

The new exhibit also serves as a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of the larger museum. The sensory elements—birdsong, natural scents, and projections of birds in flight—create a serene atmosphere that provides a tranquil space for reflection and education.

Our CEO Sam Fenton-Elstone said:

“This unforgettable special build underscores Anything is Possible and the Natural History Museum’s partnership – and our shared commitment to crafting impactful, conversation-starting campaigns.

The chicken vs. egg question isn’t really a question. It’s a way to make people think about causation and evolution. The integration of this enduring provocation via the interactive mechanic makes Out-of-Home advertising a channel that truly comes alive and enriches our shared urban spaces, while offering an important data point for the wider campaign’s effectiveness.” 

Richard Orr, Natural History Museum’s Head of Marketing said:

“Birds: Brilliant and Bizarre is our first large campaign with Anything is Possible and we’re excited to begin our relationship with such a stand out piece of Out-of-Home advertising. 

The special build simply and clearly shares the key messages for the exhibition, while also exploring the themes of evolution, interaction and birds as the only surviving dinosaurs.”

The exhibition runs at the museum’s Kensington home until 5 January 2025.