Billboard becomes live broadcast hub for Manu World Champs

At this year’s Manu World Champs, Genesis Energy partnered with PHD and Go Media to turn a digital billboard into a live broadcast hub.

The move took over the KZ1 site at Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour, bringing the energy of the competition directly to the public.

At the centre of the execution was a live-streamed digital billboard, broadcasting Manu jumps as they happened. It was enhanced with bespoke audio. The campaign’s partners say this marks the first time sound and live streaming have been combined in a billboard execution in New Zealand.

A true cultural moment

The experience included a water splash floor decal and video content captured attention and increased active engagement with the screen.

“The Manu World Champs are a true cultural moment for Aotearoa. We wanted to show up in a way that felt authentic, fun and impossible to ignore – and this allowed us to be right in the middle of the action,” says Genesis head of brand Bridget Lorimer.

The activation also spotlighted Auckland University of Technology’s “ManuTech,” an innovation designed to measure splash performance.

Go Media group sales manager Katie Ujdur says the execution showcases where out of home is heading.

“Real-time, immersive and genuinely engaging. Streaming the Manu Champs live onto KZ1 just metres from the action created a true shared crowd moment, with people stopping, sitting and watching together. It pushed the boundaries of what our network can deliver.”

A strategic collaboration

The campaign was led by PHD, with Go Media delivering the platform.

“We set out to create something that truly captured the energy of the Manu World Champs and extended it beyond the event itself,” says PHD media associate business director Jay Drew.

“By bringing a live experience into the viaduct, we were able to turn a cultural moment into something people could see, hear and feel in real time.”