One effective method of advertising, aside from the commonly used “online advertising” that many people rely on nowadays, is outdoor advertising. It’s putting your ads out there so many people will see it. It is about creating a brand that will stick to the minds of your audience the moment they see it.
This is can be done through effective outdoor advertising. Majority of the people spend their time outdoors. People go to work, walk their dogs, go to the supermarket every week. There is that free opportunity for you to lay their eyes on your ad every time they are outdoors.
What is Outdoor Advertising?
Outdoor advertising is putting your ads out there, exposing it and showcasing your product in the most effective way possible. It’s effective for reaching people in different geographical locations. It can be in many different forms such as billboards, transit advertising (on trains and buses), tarps, flyers, etc.
Depending on your purpose, target audience, and sometimes your product, advertisers can suggest the best ways to lay-out or design your ad and also the best medium that you should use for the product that you are advertising.
Initially, we can get the idea from the different outdoor advertising displays that we see on the street, on billboards, signages etc. Try to identify the message, the medium and if that matches your purpose and the intent of your brand, then you can jump off from there. In this article, we will talk about the different types of outdoor advertising and some ideas on when it is effective to use.
Types of Outdoor Advertising
There are many types of outdoor advertising. Some of them are billboards, tarpaulins, transit or mobile advertising, flyers, and leaflets. But in this article, we will focus on the massive types of outdoor advertising: billboard, outdoor flags, outdoor balloons, and banners.
Outdoor Advertising Signs
We commonly see this in resorts. If it is not a rectangle or square billboard, it could be in the shape of a shark, a surfboard, a wave, etc. What is interesting about outdoor advertising signs is that it is very flexible because the advertiser can choose any shape and size. Doing so will help the readers or the audience remember the place or resort better.
If you have a distinct design, chances are, that the viewer will remember your place, resort or restaurant is high. “Oh, mommy! Let’s eat at the seafood restaurant with a big colorful fish sign.” There is better retention when your advertising is closely related to your product and it will stand out from your competitors.
Outdoor Advertising Flags
The Outdoor Advertising flag is an interesting form of advertising. Compared to the standard billboard advertising, it catches more attention because of its wavy motion, add to that, an attractive design and color, an advertising flag will surely charm your target audience. This is commonly placed along the streets also you can see this in racetracks. It is usually composed with a solid color background and just a few words.
Since the audience will only pass by it, it has to be brief and catchy. The texts used must be easy to read because remember that the audience is mobile while viewing the outdoor advertising flag (inside a car or riding a bus or motorbike) and the ad itself is being moved by the wind.
Therefore, choose carefully the words that you will be putting in an outdoor advertising flag and pick-out the most appropriate colors. Consider also how it would look like under the heat of the sun and during the rain. You can customize the size of the flags and choose the material that you want to use.
Outdoor Sky Dancer
Since we’ve been talking about outdoor advertising flags, let us insert outdoor sky dancers in the picture. You might compare these to scarecrows but they’re quite different as they come in nice, catchy colors and funny faces.
These sky dancers are very attention-grabbing and using this, along with your other outdoor advertisements, will surely catch a lot of attention. You can choose the color combination from the color of the hair and the body and also the arms. With an outdoor sky dancer, you can be as creative as you want to be.
Outdoor Advertising Billboard
Billboards offer a sturdier type of outdoor advertising. It can withstand strong winds and typhoon. If the setup is a billboard, the advertiser and product owner should have no worries because outdoor billboards can withstand any weather. It is also capable of being viewed by a wider audience.
You do not always have to fill in all the spaces in the billboard. What’s important is the content of your billboard catches the attention of your audience and the advertiser knows what your purposes are so he can reflect that to your billboard advertisement.
Outdoor Advertising Banner
Outdoor Advertising Banners are smaller compared to billboards. These are common in schools during campus activities, during election month or for events in general. Outdoor advertising banners are more portable because they can be rolled and transferred to another venue, thus, making advertising more mobile. After an event, you can recycle this tarpaulin for a different, practical purpose in the home.
Outdoor Advertising Balloons
Outdoor advertising balloons are cheaper compared to billboards and banners, well, depending on the size. This is the best kind of advertising during fairs, social events, birthdays, etc. It is advertising and decorating in one.
When decorating for a birthday, for example, the business owner can take advantage of the decorations themselves and print-out the name of the business on the balloon or they can come up with a giant balloon at the entrance of the event venue as a landmark of the event. This is great for telecommunication companies sponsoring different events.
With all these outdoor advertising mediums available at hand, plus social media tools, it is not difficult to get your name and brand out there. It can never be replaced by online advertising. It simply does the trick, reaching millions of people and you don’t have to check it every day, just watch your sales go up eventually!
What do you think is the best outdoor advertising medium that suits you and your business? And is there a great outdoor advertising idea that you would like to share with us? Let us know in the comments below!