Stella Artois Trapped On Bloor

The goal of outdoor advertising in this city seems to be to slam you from every direction. While working downtown I can't seem to enjoy an uncluttered view for all the ubiquitous ads screaming at me from giant billboards, bus shelters, garbage cans or screetching streetcars.

Once in awhile brand marketers actually do get creative (they're called creatives after all aren't they?) and design something that contributes to the city's landscape and makes our public spaces more interesting. Belgian import Stella Artois did just that, by launching an intriguing 2 tonne "Trap" made of moving gears and metal to showcase their product.

It may just be beer but I appreciate the lengths they went to bring some innovation to their ad campaign - which is featured outside the Gardiner Museum at Avenue and Bloor until tomorrow, when it's dismantled and sent on a world-class road-trip, making stops in cultural centres around the globe.

For me it's somewhat reminiscent of Apple's Fifth Avenue architecture in NYC - it creates visual stimuli and piques curiosity - good for us and good for them. I have a bit of a beef with Apple's lack of innovation here in Toronto - three stores and not one of them contribute anything spectacular to the scene, so when a brand comes along and does something like this it's definitely worth some props.