Ad-dicted: Seashell’s Optical Illusion Billboard Campaign
A new billboard campaign has popped up around Cairo for the Seashell North Coast community, featuring fascinating optical illusion-style images.
Each billboard features a different one of the community’s six blocks, all of which were named after an element in nature using the letters that make up the word “Seashell”: (S)and, (E)cho, (A)ir, (S)tone and (L)ight.
The idea seems to be to promote Seashell as a place in which nature and modernity are not separate, but transcendentally combined to create a feeling of peace, comfort and cosmopolitan unity. Just like the design behind the community, each billboard represents a single, pure aspect of the natural world, which is thrown into the crazy public spaces of Cairo to create a feeling of earthly presence in a modern world.
Imagine escaping the roughness of the city to a European-style seaside community, where you can be one with the elements while enjoying the comfort of classy, cosmopolitan perks.
We’re impressed with the creative planning and depth of thought that has clearly gone into the Seashell campaign, as well as into the community itself, although we worry about the safety of drivers bending their necks to read the optical illusion – but if anyone can manage, it would definitely be an Egyptian driver.
Here are some samples of the promotional billboards for Seashell around Cairo:
Sand – “a world in a grain of sand as well as microcosmos of everything that is and will be”
The Sand block, appropriate to its name, overlooks the beach. It has prime access to Seashell’s 1km stretch of pristine beach. While we love the optical illusion concept behind this sign, we wonder how drivers will make the connection between the sign and the community. How will they know this an advertisement for Seashell?
Echo – “an ever repetitive sound pattern that follows a certain order as the resort’s order”
The use of lines in the sign for Echo block perfectly symbolize the reverberating nature of an echo.
Air – “carries the limitless energy of life in its purest form”
The units in the Air block have cross ventilation systems that cycles air in and out of the house. The upward direction of the lines in the word “Air” brings to mind the flowing of air through the sky.
Stone – “a living and timeless material, extracted from the Earth’s crust that reacts with the forces of nature”
The Stone block is constructed using a special type of material that best suits the requirements of Sahel weather. The lines in the word “stone” go in the opposite direction from surrounding lines, creating a solid, stone-like contrast.
Light – “significant and radiant energy that embraces a joyful life”
The units in Light block feature natural lights in the interior that make you feel like you’re outside. Somehow the word pops easier than the others, demonstrating a more clear visual.
WE SAID THIS: For some standout sets to go along with the view, download the Seashell Beats app for iPhone or Android.
