What we built

We produced a massive 7.5 metre wide 3D HB heart icon, engineered to sit proud of the backing poster at the 240-sheet site in Terenure, Dublin. The three-dimensional heart was the centrepiece of a vibrant campaign panel showcasing HB’s most recognisable ice cream brands, each product shot against bold colour-blocked backgrounds.

The 3D element created genuine physical depth that changed appearance as people walked past. Shadows shifted. The heart caught sunlight differently throughout the day. It transformed a standard outdoor advertising site into something people actively stopped to look at and photograph.

Why 3D outdoor advertising works

Flat billboards compete with everything else on the street. A three-dimensional special build breaks that pattern entirely. It creates real depth, casts actual shadows, and changes appearance as people move past it. The result: people stop, they photograph it, they share it online. That organic sharing extends the reach of an outdoor advertising campaign far beyond the physical site.

For a brand like HB, which already has strong visual recognition across Ireland, adding a physical 3D element turned a seasonal outdoor advertising campaign into a street-level experience. The kind of outdoor media execution that stays in memory long after summer ends.

The XL Media approach

Every special build starts with the structural question: what can this site handle? We assess wind loading, fixing points, weight limits, and sightlines before any creative work begins. The HB heart was engineered for outdoor durability across the full summer season, fabricated in-house, and installed by our own team.

– Full structural engineering and site assessment

– In-house fabrication of the 7.5m 3D heart icon

– 240-sheet poster production and installation

– On-site fitting by the XL Media crew

– Built to withstand Irish weather for the full campaign duration