Are you considering starting an out of home media campaign for your company? That is a great choice. They can be highly effective if you do them right!
Read on to learn how you can tackle OOH marketing and get more exposure for your business.
Out of Home Marketing Defined
Out-of-home (OOH) marketing is a style of ad campaigning that targets consumers that are, well, out of their homes. Whether driving to work, attending a sports game, or walking through a shopping mall, OOH media will often be somewhere in sight. Though there are many platforms for OOH marketing, one of the primary examples remains the billboard.
The Effectiveness of Billboards
In the modern world, you can barely leave your home without coming into contact with some form of a billboard. This even applies to rural towns. This is because they are simply effective. More often than not, billboards are placed in high-traffic areas to assure optimum potency. This makes them the perfect way for any company to reach a broad stroke of demographics throughout a campaign.
Choosing the Right Type of Billboard for You
When you hear the term billboard, you probably picture a gigantic sign on the side of the highway with some local real estate agents’ picture on it. But did you know there are actually a few different types of billboards out there?
If you are looking to start tackling out-of-home ads, you should start with figuring out which type of billboard is right for you. Here are the different types you can choose from.
Billboard Posters
Billboard posters are the primary type of billboard. You know, the one with the real estate agent on it. You can find these in many towns, next to many interstates, and around many sports arenas. They are everywhere, and they are effective.
Bulletin Billboards
If you are considering a billboard poster for your company but wish it was bigger, you are in luck. Bulletin billboards are large-scale billboards that typically offer about 670 square feet of space for your ad. So, if you want to make sure no one drives by your ad without seeing it, this may be the best option for you.
Wallscapes / Murals
Last but not least, murals are a form of billboard that takes on a whole new twist. Businesses often hire local artists to create large-scale murals on the side of popular downtown buildings. These can be great not only for getting your company name out there but also for generating social media buzz with pictures and hashtags. Overall, this is a great way to dive into the local community.
Tackling the Design
Once you know what type or types of billboards you want in your OOH marketing campaign, it’s time to start designing. This phase can be tricky if you don’t know exactly what you are going for. Here are a few tips to get you started.
Make Sure It’s Catchy and Memorable
Billboards are often positioned for those driving, whether in a city or on a highway. This means that everyone who comes in contact with your ad has a fairly small window of safely looking at it. You want your ad to be as catchy and memorable as possible so that, no matter how long someone looks at it, they drive away remembering exactly what you were trying to convey.
You Want It to Tell a Story
Something that can help your ad be interesting and memorable is a story. Whether comedic or heartfelt, a story gives the mind another thing to hold onto. Thus, helping people remember your ad.
Think Outside the Box
Think outside the box a bit. There is a lot you can do with a billboard, and you want to be different so you can stand out among all the rest. One way to do this is to use the imagery on your ad and expand it past the billboard.
Here’s a cheesy example. Imagine the main part of the billboard has an explosion. Having pieces of the billboard that appear to be flying off and physically outside the regular dimensions of the billboard could grab attention and be more memorable than other billboards that stay within the dimensions.
Have a Professional Design It
If you do not already have a strong marketing team that works for your company to build your branding and design your ads. You should either hire a team or outsource these services. It is critical to have experienced workers design your billboard if you want to get the most out of it.
Location, Location, Location
Once you have your type of billboard and your design is ready to go, it’s time to decide where you will place the ad. This requires a hefty amount of market research, and it depends largely on your products and services and how well you think they will do in the places you are advertising to. Research and attention to detail are critical during this part of the process.
The Takeaway
Out-of-home marketing campaigns are not all that intimidating once you break them down into these three main sections and take them on one by one. Once you determine the type of billboard you want, create its design, and choose the best location, you could be on your way to a great OOH media campaign.
