The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.
In the days of online shopping some people are saying that out of home advertising, much like print media, is slowly dying. However I believe that it is still very much alive and provides a great way to create awareness of a business or a specific campaign. But not just any old outdoor advertising is going to cut it in this fast-paced technological world, and so there are certain things that an OOH advertising campaign needs in order for it to work in the modern day.
Even though there has been a clear switch from shopping on the high-street to shopping online; we are still spending plenty of time outside of our homes. And during this time, especially passive moments such as a boring car journey, we are very susceptible to advertising. So if you follow these guidelines your out of home advertising can still be very effective in 2013.
In a world where people are often in a rush or trying to do more than one thing at any given time; there is no room for advertising that doesn’t catch the eye. Consumers are not actively looking to be influenced by the bill boards and bus stops that they walk past on a daily basis and so unless an advert stands out to them they won’t give it a first glance let alone a second one. The usual tricks of bright colours and striking images work well here and will ensure your advert cannot be ignored.
Make Them Think
Too many adverts attempt to teach their audience how to suck eggs, but consumers need to be given more credit than that. These types of ‘simple’ adverts are throw-away and although they might be viewed they will not be absorbed and will just be discarded with all the others.
However, if you are a little cleverer with the wording or the idea behind the advert then it’s likely that the people who come into contact with your advert will pay more attention to it. This all comes down to creativity. A play on words or a clever image will help your advert to stick longer in the minds of its audience.
Encourage Interaction
An advert that someone can interact with is always going to be more successful than one they can just read or look at. By encouraging them to get involved in some way or simply by helping them out in one way or another they are more likely to remember your brand and clearly relate to your brand philosophies.
Examples of this are The SunSmart Cancer Council in Australia who turned a billboard into a sun cream dispenser and Caribou Coffee who transformed a whole bus stop into an oven; complete with a heated ceiling to keep people warm in the winter. This kind of interactivity is sure to get people talking about your company.
Think About Location
In reality it doesn’t matter how clever, interactive or eye-catching your advert is if it’s not in the right location. All of your hard work in coming up with the campaign could be undone by placing it somewhere where it will hardly be seen. Think about natural footfall and how many people actually travel past that particular location on a daily basis. Because of this high places are great as they almost demand attention from passers-by. By hanging your vinyl banner from a bridge or tall building you will be able to maximise exposure and your audience will not be able to ignore the message you are trying to convey.
Chris Mayhew works in advertising and marketing and knows exactly what it takes to make an advert stand out. He would recommend Big Value Banners to anyone looking to create quality outdoor advertising solutions.
