By Libby Esterle
November 2024
Awhile back I wrote a blog about effective (road trip) travel marketing that included a few examples of outdoor advertising and this gave me inspiration to expand on that here and share some tips.
When it comes to outdoor, less really is more. Having said that, it can be tricky to strike a strong balance of saying just enough but not too much while also being memorable and visually attractive. For instance, I recently saw a billboard touting “hand-shredded cheese.” Personally, I think this is a missed opportunity as I really don’t care how the cheese is shredded! Instead, promoting something that differentiates the company from others in the same space would make more sense.
Our friends at Lamar agree and offer many helpful tips and tricks for effective outdoor advertising including ideal word count (seven or less), font choice (the simpler, the better), and color options (high contrast is best).
When exposure time is only about four to five seconds, visuals and content that are eye catching and easy to read are essential. Ideally, your primary message should be your company’s name, brand, and logo, supported by minimal copy.
One business that gets it right year after year is Cincinnati’s own Busken Bakery. From boards featuring cute sugar cookies to other baked goods, Busken’s simple and witty boards always catch my eye and usually get a giggle. They even have a book recounting their advertising history that is a really fun and interesting read.
A few more things to keep in mind include:
- Color. In addition to eye-catching visuals and smart copy, you should also consider what your board will look like against the sky throughout the year. Our gray winter skies can make less vibrant boards blend into the background, so color is key.
- Lighting. As mentioned above, winter can impact visibility thanks to earlier sunsets so you may want to consider boards with lights, if possible, especially when using a traditional print board. Speaking of lighting, I’ve previously included a link to this very cool billboard in another blog but felt it was worth sharing again. It’s a clever use of lighting that transforms the image to promote the “Dracula” miniseries on Netflix that came out a few years ago. And during a particularly dark and rainy part of this past winter, I rewatched the series, also starved for some sunshine just like the main character!
- Location. As with traditional real estate, location is key. While highly traveled highways and byways are typically sought after for good reason, travelers will also be passing by billboards faster with less time to take in the information. In some cases, secondary roads may be a good option to consider, since traffic moves at a slower speed or even stops, giving drivers and passengers more time to see your message.
Finally, in this day and digital age where an internet search is second nature, details such as an actual website address, phone number, address, or social media icons are probably no longer needed. Folks will find their way to you ─ but only if your billboard is memorable enough to stick with them long after they drive by.