Café Pelé, a popular Brazilian coffee brand, has created a contagious billboard to promote its coffee in an unconventional way.
The agencies Lew’Lara\TBWA, Brazil come up with a brillian idea. They have launched interactive billboards that made passers-by yawning. You can interact with them at Fradique Coutinho station in the subway in Brazil.
It is common knowledge that yawning is contagious. According to a study by the State University of New York, 70% of people start to yawn when they see someone else yawning.
Can you immagine you’re in the subway, waiting for the train to come. Suddenly you see somebody looking at you on the billboard and yawning. I got really amuzed when I saw it.

These billboards work in this way: billboards with motion sensors have been installed to be exact. An actor on the display began to yawn and when people saw him, they started to yawn too, because it became contagious. The more people passed by, the more the actor on the display yawned. It all ended in real yawning epidemic. A lot of people couldn’t help yawning.
After that a message on the display was shown to encourage people to drink coffee: “Did you yawn too? Time for coffee“. Below this message a cup of Café Pelé appeared.
Café Pelé offered a cure to those people who had yawned. The promoters came out on the platform with trays offering coffee.
(via)
Often we yawn when we’re tired, when we’re bored or there is lack of oxygen in the offices, subways, planes. How about taking a good dose of caffeine to get rid of yawning. I think this initiative is very effective and it has been done in the right place at the right time.
Did you yawn too? As for me while writing the post, I yawned several times! 🙂
That is funny, but I think we all know by now that yawns are not actually contagious LOL 🙂
It is so true someone yawns and soon you do too. What a great ad.
Interactive billboards, really? Just because we have the technology …
Just looking at that billboard made me yawn LOL. Maybe that’s just because I’m sleepy because of this stupid time change though…
I think that is a cool idea and it clearly works ! Was it good coffee?
oh wow I would be falling asleep watching people yawn lol
So trying to not yawn right now. That was a great marketing plan.
-yawn- just kidding! , actually id love to have some coffe right now! hehe
This was a great ad! LOL!!!
I had to force myself not to yawn because I definitely wanted to. It’s so funny how yawning is contagious that way.
These billboard are interestingly contagious. Yawning is catching. All this to sell coffee creative Cafe Pele!
Now that’s smart advertising. Who would have thought! And who can ever think of a better way to promote coffee. Lol.
It is really good ad hahahahaha, interesting huh. Glad you shared it.
Great way to think outside the box. Excellent ad as they are selling coffee!
This is very funny and downright innovative.
This is such a funny read. I really love it. Thanks so much for sharing.
It’s true. Yawning is contagious so when you see a photo of someone yawning, your mind automatically makes you do the same.
HAHA! that’s hilarious and totally made me yawn!
This cracked me up. So funny and a really good way to promote coffee!
That is actually very clever! What good advertising. How funny!
This is hilarious, What a great business ad strategy. I could remember my girlfriend with this. While video calling her on skype, I yawned and then she yawned, it was a great laugh. I should have asked her for a coffee that time, I’m sure it would be a great move to do. 🙂
Ha, I yawned when I saw the picture. That’s funny!
Totally read the title and said “No way am I going to yawn” but sure enough I did! Lots lol Very clever billboard.
OMG that is so funny. I have the worst case of sympathy yawning! This billboard would crush me.
I yawned 3 time just looking at it. Yawning is contagious, when someone yawns you have to too.
As I watched the commercial, I thought I was strong enough to resist the urge to yawn. That wasn’t true and I ended up yawing, LOL. Good job, Lew Lara\TBWA. This is a very effective campaign. Got me thinking about wanting to drink some coffee.
This is a funny post that I needed this morning! I would be yawning every time I went by this!
From a marketing standpoint, this is brilliant. It causes multiple interaction to everyone. It is subtle and not in your face.
Agree with you! Glad you like the idea!
oh man, I just read “yawn” and it made me yawn! What a hilarious billboard!
Glad you like it! Thanks for commenting!
WoW! 70% really? I would love to see if I do. What a cool idea.
Your billboard posts are great. keep it up
le pubblicità interattive sono ormai il futuro… anzi il presente. Vero è che non basta che siano interattive ma serve creatività e una buona inventiva. E questo spot ne ha da vendere, decisamente.