Outdoor advertising
In a world where digital marketing often takes centre stage, outdoor advertising remains a steadfast and influential medium for businesses to reach their target audience.
Outdoor advertising, a powerful marketing strategy, connects companies with their audience outside the confines of their homes. This form of advertising employs various mediums, including billboards, transit ads, and guerrilla marketing, to deliver brand messages and promote products to a wide and diverse audience.
As a signage company with a stake in the industry, we understand the significance of outdoor advertising and the diverse strategies that can be employed to deliver a brand message effectively. In this comprehensive article, we'll explore the world of outdoor advertising, its various types, and provide real-life examples of successful campaigns.
What is outdoor advertising?
Outdoor advertising, also known as out-of-home (OOH) advertising, is a marketing strategy that leverages physical spaces to promote products, services, or brands to a broad audience. Unlike online advertising, which is confined to screens, outdoor advertising interacts with potential customers in the real world. It's a powerful tool for creating brand awareness and delivering messages where people live, work, and play.
The umbrella term “outdoor advertising” encompasses various types of signage products as well as strategies and actions, the most important of which we will cover in this article.
Types of outdoor advertising
Billboard advertising
Billboard advertising stands tall as one of the most effective and visually striking forms of outdoor advertising. Billboards, ranging from static displays to interactive digital boards, allow advertisers to reach a massive audience with their brand message. They captivate the attention of passersby, ensuring maximum visibility and impact.
In short, billboards are iconic in the world of outdoor advertising – and they come in various types.
Types of billboards
Static billboards are traditional, fixed structures that display advertisements. These large signs can be strategically placed along highways, in urban centres, and at key intersections, capturing the attention of a wide audience. These fixed displays offer prolonged exposure to people passing by high-traffic areas, making them ideal for building brand recognition.
Example: The iconic, giant Coca Cola logo in Leipziger Straße in Berlin-Mitte (pictured here on the right-hand side).
Mobile billboards are often mounted on vehicles, making them highly versatile. They can drive through targeted areas, ensuring that the message reaches specific demographics or events. Mobile billboards reach different locations, ensuring greater brand reach and flexibility in advertising.
Example: A mobile billboard promoting a new movie drives around the streets near a cinema on its opening weekend.
Photo credit (Coca Cola sign): Nk Ni/Unsplash
Digital billboards use LED or LCD technology to display dynamic content, enabling advertisers to showcase multiple messages, animations, and even real-time updates. With this dynamic content, digital billboards catch the eye of tech-savvy audiences and deliver tailored messages.
Example: A digital billboard in a shopping district displaying a clothing store's latest fashion trends.
Interactive & augmented reality billboards engage the audience through interactive elements and augmented reality experiences, creating memorable connections with brands and blurring the line between the physical and digital worlds.
Example: In 2016, sportswear brand Reebok installed an interactive outdoor ad in Stockholm that challenged passersby to run past the display, tracking them with a speed camera. Anybody who was able to run faster than 10.5 miles per hour was rewarded with a free pair of sneakers. 👟
Photo credit (Coca Cola billboard): Hamish Weir/Unsplash
Photo credit: Pawel Czerwinski/Unsplash
Point of sale advertising & POS displays
Point of sale advertising places promotional materials at retail outlets where customers make their buying decisions. Strategically placed in retail environments to catch the eye of shoppers, these displays attract customers' attention to specific products, driving impulse purchases and promoting brands.
Point of sale advertising includes a wide range of materials, such as:
- A-frames: Typically refers to a specific type of freestanding display fixture that is designed to resemble the letter "A" when viewed from the side. A-frames are effective tools for attracting the attention of passersby and communicating important information or promotions. They are commonly used in front of stores, restaurants, cafes or event venues to showcase promotional materials, draw customers in, and convey marketing messages.
Photo credit: Paul/CC BY-SA 2.0
- Posters: Frequently used as POS displays to capture customers' attention and convey key information. They can feature vibrant graphics, product images, promotional offers, and branding elements, making them an effective tool for showcasing products, promotions, and advertising campaigns within a retail environment. Posters strategically placed near checkout counters or high-traffic areas can influence purchasing decisions and enhance the overall shopping experience.
- Floor displays: Employed at the point of sale to grab customers' attention and encourage impulse purchases. These displays are often placed strategically in high-traffic areas within a store, showcasing featured products or promotions. Their eye-catching design and placement can draw customers' focus, driving sales and increasing brand visibility at the last moment before checkout.
Photo credit: Sanwuisusp/CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sampling stations: Highly effective POS advertising tools that allow customers to experience products firsthand. By offering samples of food, beverages, cosmetics, or other products, businesses can engage customers directly, demonstrate product quality, and create a memorable brand experience. Sampling stations not only encourage immediate purchases but also leave a lasting impression, potentially leading to repeat business and word-of-mouth recommendations.
Transit advertising & vehicle advertising
Transit advertising and vehicle advertising are effective ways to reach a broad audience as they involve using various modes of transportation as advertising mediums. These forms of advertising target people on the move by placing ads on public transportation vehicles or commercial trucks. It's a mobile and eye-catching way to reach a diverse audience.
This involves for example placing ads on the exterior and interior of buses. Exterior ads can range from simple posters to full bus wraps, while interior ads can include posters, hanging ads, or video screens.
Subway and metro systems also offer many opportunities for advertising on platforms, inside train cars, and along tunnel walls. These ads are typically seen by commuters during their daily travels.
The choice between transit and vehicle advertising depends on the target audience, budget, and campaign goals. Both forms of advertising can be highly effective in reaching consumers on the move and generating brand awareness.
Construction advertising
Construction advertising takes advantage of large, temporary surfaces to promote businesses or events. It leverages large wraps, banners, and wallscapes on construction sites or buildings under renovation. These visually appealing ads not only conceal construction work but also provide prime advertising space to engage passersby.
Here are some examples and explanations of effective construction advertising:
- Building wraps: Times Square is a famous location known for its iconic building wraps. These wraps often cover entire skyscrapers and feature massive advertisements for products, movies, or events. For instance, you might see a colossal billboard for a new Broadway show covering the entire side of a building in Times Square.
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Wallscapes: In fashionable shopping districts like Shibuya or Harajuku in Tokyo, wallscapes often adorn the facades of trendy boutiques and stores. These artistic displays may showcase the latest fashion trends or highlight the brand's unique identity.
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Bridge banners: Bridge banners are versatile advertising tools that can be adapted to various promotional and informational needs, making use of the prominent and often heavily travelled locations of bridges to reach a wide audience.
Photo credit: David Lundgren/Unsplash
Another real-life example: In 2022, La Madeleine in Paris, France, was covered in a 1000 m2 building wrap by luxury brand Louis Vuitton, concealing restoration proceedings on the famous church.
Street furniture
Street furniture refers to a category of outdoor elements and structures typically found in urban environments, which serve functional purposes and are often used as advertising spaces. These elements are designed to blend seamlessly into the urban landscape while also providing valuable services to city dwellers.
Here's a closer look at some common types of street furniture used for advertising:
- Lamp posts: Lamp posts are not only sources of illumination for streets but also convenient platforms for advertising. Advertisements can be affixed to or hung from lamp posts, making them visible to pedestrians and motorists alike. These ads are typically at eye level and can be particularly effective in dense urban areas.
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Bus shelters: Bus shelters are a prominent and highly visible location for advertising. They offer shelter to waiting commuters and often feature poster-sized ad panels on their sides or backs. Advertisers use these spaces to target a captive audience as people wait for their buses.
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Benches: In many cities, benches placed along sidewalks and in public parks are designed with ad panels integrated into their design. These ads can be seen by people using the benches or passing by, making them an effective way to reach pedestrians.
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Phone booths: While the use of traditional phone booths has declined with the rise of mobile phones, many cities still have them, and they are often used for advertising purposes. Advertisements can be placed on the sides or roofs of phone booths, capitalising on their prominent placement in urban areas.
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Newsstands: Newsstands are small retail kiosks that sell newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. They often feature ad space on their walls or awnings. These ads can be seen by people purchasing reading materials or walking by.
Photo credit: Bram Naus/Unsplash
The key advantage of using street furniture for advertising is its integration into the urban landscape. Unlike large billboards that can be visually intrusive, street furniture advertisements are part of the city's functional infrastructure, and as such, they tend to blend more naturally into the environment. This blending effect can make the advertising feel less intrusive and more like a seamless part of the cityscape, enhancing its acceptance and effectiveness.
Additionally, street furniture ads can be strategically placed in high-traffic areas, targeting pedestrians and drivers at locations where they are likely to spend time or pause, such as bus stops or benches near popular shopping districts. This allows advertisers to reach a captive and often diverse audience in an unobtrusive manner.
Guerrilla advertising outdoors: creative OOH advertising
Guerrilla advertising takes an unconventional approach to outdoor advertising and thrives on creativity, the element of surprise, and unexpected tactics, often taking advantage of public spaces and events to maximise impact.
Guerilla advertising strategies can include, but are not limited to:
- Ambush marketing: Ambush marketing involves a brand or company attempting to associate itself with a major event, like a sports tournament or concert, without officially sponsoring it. This is often done by cleverly positioning advertisements or promotions in close proximity to the event to capitalise on the event's publicity without incurring the sponsorship costs.
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Flash mobs: Flash mobs are organised gatherings of people who suddenly assemble in a public place, perform a brief and unexpected activity (such as a dance or song), and then quickly disperse. Guerrilla marketers use flash mobs to create buzz, surprise, and capture the attention of passersby, often to promote a product or message.
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Guerrilla projection: Guerrilla projection involves projecting images or messages onto large public surfaces like buildings, bridges, or monuments. This unconventional method can generate intrigue and engage audiences by using striking visuals or interactive elements.
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Street art: Street art involves the creation of artistic and visually compelling designs, graffiti, or murals in public spaces. Guerrilla marketing may incorporate street art to convey brand messages or create memorable, shareable content that integrates seamlessly with the urban environment.
Example: This large-scale mural of the three Boateng brothers has become part of the Berlin-Wedding streetscape. The small Nike logo above the large headline is only perceived at second glance, making this street-art piece a great example of successful guerrilla marketing as employed by a big brand.
Photo credit: OTFW/CC BY-SA 3.0
- Street teams: Street teams consist of brand ambassadors or promoters who engage directly with the public in high-traffic areas. They distribute samples, flyers, or promotional materials, engaging with consumers face-to-face to create brand awareness and encourage product trial. NGOs commonly use this strategy to raise funds and encourage donations.
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Public relations stunts: Public relations stunts involve attention-grabbing and often unconventional actions or events designed to generate media coverage and public interest. Guerilla marketing may utilise PR stunts to create viral moments that draw attention to a brand or cause, often through humour, surprise, or controversy. In recent times, climate activism organisations have been using creative PR strategies to generate public attention.
Retail advertising
Retail advertising focuses on attracting foot traffic to brick-and-mortar stores. It includes window displays, sidewalk signs, and in-store promotional materials. Signage plays a crucial role in this process.
Here is how various types of signage contribute to retail advertising:
- Neon signs: Neon signs are attention-grabbing and iconic. Their vibrant and colourful illumination makes them highly visible, especially during the evening and nighttime hours. They can be strategically placed in storefront windows or above entrances to create a welcoming and enticing atmosphere. Neon signs often display the store's name, logo, or key messages, serving as a beacon that draws the attention of passersby.
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Letters: Two-dimensional or three-dimensional letters, made from materials like aluminium and acrylic, provide a dimensional and sophisticated appearance to retail signage. They can be customised with the store's name or tagline and installed on the storefront facade. 2D letters and 3D letters add depth and visibility to the store's branding, making it easily recognizable from a distance and enhancing its professional image.
- Lightboxes: A classic signage staple, lightboxes come in the front-facing, one-sided variant, as well as the projecting, double-sided variant. They are used to draw the attention of passersby to a store, café or restaurant by displaying its name and/or logo.
Signage, whether illuminated or not, is an integral part of retail advertising. These elements play a multifaceted role in attracting foot traffic, enhancing brand visibility, and communicating key messages, ultimately contributing to the success of brick-and-mortar stores in a highly competitive retail landscape.
The No Cosmetics showroom in Berlin smartly employs several methods of outdoor advertising: a projecting lightbox and an A-frame to attract passersby; large window stickers with easily recognisable icons advertising the company's USPs (unique selling propositions), such as vegan ingredients; and a branded neon sign above the door to attract attention even from afar and in the dark.
Aerial advertisement
Aerial advertising takes to the skies in a captivating way to grab attention from above.
Skywriting involves creating messages or logos in the sky using aircraft emitting specialised smoke. It's ideal for creating attention-grabbing and temporary messages at outdoor events, sports games, festivals, or celebrations where a large audience is gathered. Skywriting is known for its visibility and ability to reach a broad audience quickly.
Photo credit: davitydave/CC BY 2.0
Hot air balloons and blimps provide large, slow-moving canvases for messages and logos. They are best used for long-term brand visibility, especially at outdoor events, airshows, or along busy highways where they can be seen from a distance. Their unique and imposing presence makes them memorable advertising platforms.
Dropping flyers from aircraft involves releasing printed materials (such as leaflets or brochures) from above, allowing them to flutter down to the ground. This method is effective for localised advertising, like promoting a specific event, sale, or business within a particular area. It's often used to target a specific neighbourhood or community.
Flying banners are large, aerial billboards towed by aeroplanes or helicopters. They are best suited for high-traffic areas like beaches, sporting events, or outdoor concerts, where they can capture the attention of large crowds. Flying banners are known for their ability to deliver concise messages and visuals to a broad audience.
Photo credit: Glenn Beltz/CC BY 2.0
These aerial advertising methods are chosen based on their ability to reach specific target audiences, the nature of the message (temporary or long-term), and the context in which they will be deployed. Each method offers unique advantages in terms of visibility, impact, and reach, making them suitable for various advertising objectives and scenarios.
Light outdoor advertising
Light outdoor advertising employs illuminated signs and other lighting elements to ensure maximum visibility even during the nighttime. Well-designed illuminated signage and lighting can enhance the overall aesthetics of a location or storefront. It can create a visually appealing and inviting atmosphere that attracts attention and encourages foot traffic.
Illuminated signs are outdoor advertising fixtures that incorporate built-in lighting sources to make them visible at night. These include LED neon and glass neon signs, illuminated logo signs, and other advertising technology staples.
Neon signs especially have a long history and tradition, and they are still very popular to this day.
Light outdoor advertising may also involve the use of other lighting elements, such as spotlights, floodlights, and decorative lighting fixtures. These lights can be strategically positioned to highlight specific areas, architectural features, or products. For example, a car dealership might use floodlights to showcase its vehicles in the evening, or a restaurant might use decorative string lights to create an inviting outdoor dining atmosphere.
Businesses that invest in light outdoor advertising often enjoy improved brand recognition and recall because illuminated signs and displays are more likely to leave a lasting impression on viewers.
Best out-of-home (OOH) advertising campaigns
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The Coca-Cola sign on Times Square
The electro-kinetic sculpture on the facade of the 2 Times Square building, known as the Coca-Cola sign, is unique in its approach to outdoor signage. It’s a robotic sign that uses moveable 3D and digital elements to change its contents and appearance. The current version of the sign measures 21 x 13 metres and was installed in 2017, but Coca-Cola has had signs displayed at this prominent location since the 1920s.
Photo credit: Primary686/CC BY-SA 3.0
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Apple’s iPhone billboard campaigns
Apple's "Shot on iPhone" campaign, created in 2014, ranks among the most iconic marketing initiatives the company has ever launched, encompassing a series of billboards, print ads, and TV commercials. The first campaign and its follow-up iterations have gained such widespread recognition that rival phone manufacturers have adopted similar approaches to promote the cameras of their own devices.
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The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
Remember this? This grassroots campaign used guerilla advertising tactics to go viral on social media, raising awareness and funds for ALS research (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; a type of motor neuron disease, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease). The campaign, supported and promoted by several ALS organisations in the US and the UK, managed to raise over $115M worldwide in 2014.
Photo credit: Major Tom Agency/Unsplash
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Barbie billboards
The entire pre-launch marketing campaign for the 2023 “Barbie” movie was one for the books and raised the bar for movie promotion, and will likely be discussed in classrooms for years to come. One notable element were billboards that contained nothing but the colour pink and “July 21”, the date of the US premiere of the movie, in the well-known Barbie font – a prime example of using iconography and brand recognition in advertising.
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Amazon Music on Hermannplatz
During the winter of 2021/22, Amazon Music used a building facade in Berlin-Neukölln’s famous Sonnenallee as a huge advertising display for a digital projection. The cherry on top was the large logo made of front-lit 3D letters supplied by Sygns. The breathtaking photos of this iconic outdoor advertising campaign were shot by a drone.
Innovative outdoor advertising
Innovation is key in outdoor advertising. Outdoor advertising has evolved significantly over the years with the advent of new technologies and creative campaigns. New technologies, such as augmented reality and location-based targeting, are transforming how advertisers engage with their audience. Innovative outdoor advertising incorporates cutting-edge technology and creative storytelling to captivate audiences in unique ways.
In the near future, we will see a lot more OOH advertising make use of AI, such as face recognition software, to create immersive experiences and blur the lines between reality and advertisement further.
Recent examples of successful advertising innovations, some of which have since become very common, include:
- Interactive bus shelters
- 3D pop-up structures
- Geo-targeted & location-based advertising
- QR codes & NFC tags
- Scent machines
- Social media integration
Is outdoor advertising effective?
If you’ve made it this far in this article with all its real-life examples and references, you can probably answer this question yourself now.
The answer is of course yes, outdoor advertising is highly effective in reaching a wide audience, creating brand awareness, and driving consumer engagement, and it remains highly effective even in the digital age.
Granted, its performance and effectiveness are more difficult to measure than those of modern digital marketing campaigns, but studies have shown time and again that OOH advertising is a versatile and impactful tool for businesses to connect with their audience.
Creative outdoor ads significantly enhance brand recall and purchase intent, so by choosing the right type of outdoor advertising and crafting a compelling message, brands can promote their products and services effectively in the real world.
By leveraging the various types of outdoor advertising presented in this article, companies can maximise their reach, create memorable experiences, and deliver brand messages that resonate with their target audience.
As a signage company, we understand the power of outdoor advertising and are here to help brands create eye-catching and memorable campaigns. With our high-quality illuminated signs, your business can reach new heights of success.