Quick answer: Corona’s Solargraph Series, created with Boundless in South Africa, turned beer cans into pinhole cameras and attached them to billboards and everyday locations to slowly capture the sun’s movement over time.
A Billboard That Photographed the Sun
For two weeks, a Corona can attached to a billboard in South Africa was doing something unusual.
It was not simply part of the advertisement. It was the camera.
The 410ml beer can was transformed into a pinhole camera, using one of the oldest photographic techniques in the world to capture the South African sun through a slow, continuous exposure.
How the Solargraph Worked
As part of Corona’s Solargraph Series, the can was attached to a north-facing billboard.
A tiny aperture allowed light to enter the can, slowly recording the glowing arc of the sun onto photographic paper placed inside.
No lens, battery or shutter was needed. The image was created by time, sunlight and patience.
An Idea Powered by Sunlight
The campaign began after AB InBev partner agency SunshineGun introduced Boundless to the idea of solargraphy.
The technique felt naturally connected to Corona’s brand world because it is slow, sun-powered and impossible to rush.
Instead of creating an instant image, the campaign allowed the sun to gradually build the artwork over time.
OOH That Becomes Part of the Process
The hero billboard invited passers-by to return once the experiment was complete.
After the exposure period, the billboard would be replaced with the result of the solargraph, revealing the artwork created by the sun itself.
The final message tied the idea together with the line: Beautiful Things Happen When You Let The Sun In.
From Billboard to Artwork
What makes the campaign distinctive is that the billboard was not only a media placement.
It became a creative instrument.
The can, the billboard, the location and the sun all worked together to produce the final image, turning outdoor advertising into a living photographic process.
Why the Idea Fits Corona
Corona has long built its brand around sunlight, natural moments and slowing down.
The Solargraph Series expresses those values without needing to say them directly.
By allowing the campaign to unfold slowly over two weeks, the brand created an execution that feels unhurried, organic and closely tied to the feeling of being outdoors.
Everyday Places, Not Perfect Landscapes
Beyond the hero billboard, more pinhole camera cans were quietly placed in various north-facing locations.
The campaign deliberately used ordinary environments, including suburban streets, rather than relying only on picture-perfect scenery.
This choice supported the idea that sunlight can bring beauty to everyday places, not just postcard landscapes.
Creators Join the Solargraph Series
Camera packs were also sent to creators, inviting them to experiment with solargraphy themselves.
This extended the campaign beyond the billboard and gave the idea a participatory layer.
By allowing others to create their own images, Corona turned the campaign into a wider creative platform built around sunlight, patience and discovery.
An Exhibition During First Thursdays
The full range of solargraph photography will be showcased at an exhibition during Cape Town’s First Thursdays on September 5th.
First Thursdays is a major moment in the South African arts calendar, making it a strong cultural setting for the campaign’s final reveal.
This gives the work a second life beyond the street, moving from billboard experiment to public art exhibition.
Why This Campaign Works
The campaign works because it turns Corona’s brand world into a real creative process.
Instead of simply showing sunlight in an ad, the brand allowed sunlight to make the ad.
By combining billboards, pinhole photography, everyday locations and an exhibition format, Solargraph Series becomes a poetic example of experiential OOH that is slow, surprising and deeply connected to the brand’s identity.
What Marketers Can Learn From Corona
- OOH can become more powerful when the media itself participates in the idea.
- Brand values are stronger when they are demonstrated, not just stated.
- Slow, process-based campaigns can create intrigue and anticipation in public space.
- Simple materials can create memorable experiences when the concept is strong.
- Turning an outdoor campaign into an exhibition can extend its cultural life beyond the placement.
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