Microsoft were launching a new device – the first-ever black Surface Pro. The colour had been carefully chosen to be as muted and discreet as possible, in order to help the user get into their flow. How do you advertise a product that has been designed to not be noticed?

The Surface Pro 6 was a product designed to disappear. So instead of using a conventional media space, we used shadows. This unique way of creating a poster allowed us to make ads that were also designed to disappear. Shadows was a medium that perfectly embodied the idea behind the product we were promoting.

The Surface Pro 6 was aimed at the creative professional. Therefore, the Shadow Posters appeared in the trendy, creative London neighbourhoods of Shoreditch and Peckham. The specific location were decided due to their proximity to creative businesses such as design studios and advertising agencies.

Because this was a new medium, we had to develop a way to make the posters as strong and impactful as possible. The Shadow Posters were cast using a large-format, suspended stencil. While the technique was new, it was key that the shadows still came across as advertising posters. Therefore, the stencil had the same format as a conventional billboard.

The Shadow Posters appeared across walls in the London areas Shoreditch and Peckham. They existed on a range of different surfaces, each time becoming a new artwork.

They were supported by paid social and PR. Influencers were invited to the reveal of the posters, further spreading the message.