Bird brains put pieces of billboard together

289 pigeons went into the making of a billboard on Dixon Street, Wellington.

The billboard, which promotes the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, consists of pieces of material delivered by carrier pigeons. Blurring the boundaries between advertising and performance art, the creation process also involved a worker dressed as a WW1 solider who put the pieces together over a week.

Clemenger BBDO production director, Scott McMillan, said that the billboard's creation was extensive and elaborate.

"The skin base went up for a couple of weeks and served as a teaser," he said.
"The size and number of pieces used in the top skin, which was printed and installed by Mesh Digital, was determined through trial and error in conjunction with Pigeon Racing New Zealand. The perfected pieces were ultimately rolled, taped and attached to 289 pigeons."

Mesh used an Inca Spyder digital UV flatbed machine to print the job on 57 gsm Tyvek Synethic paper. The Tyvek was printed and numbered on the reverse side, before being prepared for the pigeons.

The billboard has been entered in the Pride In Print Awards, AXIS Australian Award and the Cannes International Advertising Festival. McMillan hopes that the innovative efforts will be rewarded.

"It's not always just about the printed image - it's the whole package," he said.