When you think of outdoor advertising, what comes to mind? New York’s Times Square? That local bus you see on your commute with the attorney who seems to follow you everywhere you go on the freeways? Or is it the Chick-fil-A billboards with the cows doing crazy things? These are all different forms of outdoor media. From digital billboards to bus wraps and posters, outdoor advertising is everywhere you go and influencing you at the same time.
For many marketing experts, outdoor media is part of their branding, and if you are going to add this to the tool box, there are some important design rules to follow.
The message has very little time to make an impact on the viewer, so color, font and image all play a vital role in the design of the message. The rule of thumb is seven words or less, color and font type are key but what really makes the message pop, is the imaging. You’ve got to select photos that will grab the attention of your audience and make them react.
Take for example the below billboard about vaping. This message is posted outside of a very busy downtown courthouse in an urban metropolitan city, where many people come and go on a daily basis, especially young people. It’s also located near several tobacco and liquor stores as well. And it’s working! Sales of vaping products are down and people have been calling the 800 number to get help. As a matter of fact, the billboards are this city’s largest referral source into their helpline.
This type of advertising is effective and is gaining momentum. Experts say in 2018, digital outdoor ad spending grew 15 percent and is expected to overtake traditional outdoor ad spending this year. So next time you’re out and about on the highways and byways, pay attention to the outdoor media and see if it evokes an emotion or calls you into action. It may already be doing so without you even knowing it.
Check these links out for more insight to world of thinking BIG!