It took coordination between four different outdoor video board companies to allow the Striding Man – the centre of attention in the new ‘Keep Walking’ campaign for Diageo’s Johnnie Walker brand – to move from one screen to the next at Yonge-Dundas Square.

The concept, developed by Diageo’s media agency, Starcom, and creative agency, Leo Burnett, is based on four static posters for the campaign, but the four-screen Toronto execution allows synchronized and animated movement between boards. The Toronto-based Outdoor Broadcast Network (OBN) was put in charge of coordinating the effort with Clear Channel Outdoor, Captive Audience Media and Titan Outdoor.

The ads air at the top and bottom of the hour. The Striding Man figure moves in a forward motion, and the sequence unfolds clockwise around the Square with each progressive step of the ad. The four-week campaign runs until Dec. 24.

‘The Johnnie Walker global team challenged us to bring the iconic Striding Man to Canada and to do something that has never been done before,’ says Starcom strategy manager Cory Pelletier, calling it a first for OOH. ‘The logistical problem was that in order to bring our idea to life, we needed to work in tandem with four valued partners, all with their own screens and varied technologies. Refreshingly, everyone checked in to the project, putting aside the competitive to work towards the successful.’