Asahi became the first alcohol brand to run a 3D anamorphic billboard in Hong Kong

Localise Asahi's global 'Beyond Expected' brand tour for Hong Kong and unveil the renewed Super Dry with the city's first immersive anamorphic OOH for an alcohol brand.

Make the iconic can leap out of a 3D anamorphic screen: a six-second reveal of the can rolling into a 15-second brand reel, dominating 270 degrees above Times Square.

dentsu International Hong Kong built the 3D billboard in the heart of Hong Kong's busiest district, opening with a six-second can reveal and closing on a 15-second brand reel, surrounded by a full 270-degree OOH domination and an O2O journey across social, website, banners and TV.

No campaign results were reported; dentsu creative director Chester Tang called 3D billboards 'the next phase of advertising' and said the Hong Kong head start freed the brand to break the fourth wall.

In May 2022, Japanese beer brand Asahi launched its first 3D billboard in Hong Kong, created by dentsu International in the heart of the city's busiest district. Asahi was the first alcohol brand to run such an immersive anamorphic out-of-home ad in Hong Kong, as an extension of its global 'Beyond Expected' platform — a manifesto meant to lead audiences to the unexpected experiences modern Japan brings.

The 3D ad opens with a six-second reveal of Asahi's iconic can and finishes on a 15-second brand reel, surrounded by a full 270-degree OOH domination right on top of Times Square, one of Hong Kong's most popular shopping malls. Complementing the OOH screens was a streamlined O2O and integrated consumer journey engaging audiences through digital content on social media, website, banners and TV.

The launch rode Asahi Group's January 2022 renewal of Super Dry — the flagship's first since its 1987 launch — which tweaked the recipe, redesigned the logo and packaging with matte and metallic silvers, and added a 'dry curve' to the can's back to visualise the taste. Donny Ho, regional sales director Asia at Asahi Beer Asia, said the activation showed the brand being 'truly Beyond Expected through action'; dentsu creative director Chester Tang said 3D billboards were already the next phase of advertising, and the Hong Kong head start let the brand merge content, experiential and OOH.

Anamorphic 3D was still scarce in Hong Kong, so the first alcohol brand in could claim the format as news.

The six-second can reveal exploits the format's core strength: an object that appears to leave the screen.

A 270-degree takeover put one image everywhere around the mall, turning a global platform into a local event.

A global platform lands locally when the format itself is the news: being first in a market makes the media the message.

The source reports no campaign results; the billboard marked the Hong Kong leg of Asahi's world-touring Super Dry relaunch, one of the group's largest-ever advertising investments.