# Funny Talkative Billboards Sprite's Bill the Billboard Soda Pop Ad Reminds You to 'Obey You' By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2014-10-17 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/soda-pop-ad References: [designtaxi](http://designtaxi.com/news/370122/Sprite-Billboard-Lifts-Spirits-Of-Road-Users-With-Its-Humorous-Chatter/) & [adweek](http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/sprites-bill-billboard-keeps-drivers-entertained-cracking-endless-jokes-160795) This funny soda pop ad from [Sprite](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/turn-up-refreshment) introduces 'Bill the [Billboard](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dreamies-treats),' a sign by the road with a big personality and a great sense of humor. Rather than broadcasting boring messages, Bill the Billboard keeps himself and others entertained with quips like "My name is James. James Board," and "I hate pigeons." Bill the Billboard boasts may be noted as the "The first ad ever with mental issues," but the quirky billboard has such human qualities, it's hard not to empathize with Bill. The message being the campaign supports a new campaign from Sprite and the "[Obey You](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/frieze-los-angeles)" tagline, which encourages youth to be themselves and live life according to their own rules, much like this billboard unabashedly does. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.7/10 - Popularity: 16% | Activity: 28% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: Africa ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Interactive](https://www.trendhunter.com/interactive) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Quirky Advertising:** Exploring advertising that uses unusual and humorous elements to promote brands. - **Personification Marketing:** Creating marketing campaigns that personify or anthropomorphize brand elements to create a connection with potential customers. - **Authenticity Messaging:** Developing messaging that values authenticity and encourages customers to live life according to their own rules. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Advertising:** Innovating within the advertising industry by incorporating humor and human-like qualities into advertisements. - **Marketing:** Creating marketing campaigns that emphasize authenticity and connect with customers on a personal level through personification and humor. - **Outdoor Advertising:** Disrupting the outdoor advertising industry by utilizing creative ideas that make use of technology and humor to engage passersby. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Bizarre Soda Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/try-more-weird.md) - [Mixed-Reality Cola Billboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/3d-coca-cola-billboard.md) - [Summer Soda Brand Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/turn-up-refreshment.md) - [Humorous Drink Cart Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/titos-spokescart.md) - [Sensorial Soda Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hurts-real-good.md) - [Peeling Cheese Packaging Billboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/babybel-billboard.md) - [Humorous Soda Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jelly-roll-x-zevia.md) - [Lazy Cereal Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/surreal-cereal.md) - [Personalized Grocery Billboard Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tesco-ireland-1.md)