Marketers and entrepreneurs who work in sales know it as out-of-home advertising (OOH), but the idea is the same.
Outdoors advertising defines every type of ad people see on a daily basis outside of their home or devices. Now, depending on the way the ad is presented, OOH can be divided into several categories (which I’ll discuss below).
But before we dive into the different categories, I want to mention that each addresses a certain type of consumer. Just like in the case of online marketing, a one-size-fits-all commercial is not a good idea, especially with younger generations being desensitized to promotional messages.
As a result, out-of-home advertising had to find new and creative ways and transmission mediums. Which is why some of the ads you’ll see below may seem a bit odd at first. Still, they all proved effective in the right social context.
Your Outdoor Sign
How do you let passing by your store/office that inside there’s a specific kind of business happening?
Your outdoor sign or Point of Sale display is the very first thing customers and leads come in contact with when they pay a visit to your physical location. Websites like customsignsaustralia.com.au help businesses design visible, easy to remark and decipher outdoor signs.
A good rule of thumb is to observe other signs, from businesses like yours, and make notes on the elements that stand out.
Inflatable advertising
Advertisers have long used outdoor advertising to reach their target audiences, and the use of inflatables has become increasingly popular in recent years. Custom advertising blow-ups are a cost-effective way to create a large, attention-grabbing display that can be placed just about anywhere. From mall parking lots to sporting events, inflatables offer businesses a versatile and eye-catching way to promote their products or services. Inflatables can be customized to feature any type of message or logo, and they can be illuminated for even more visibility. Best of all, they are easy to set up and take down, making them a convenient option for busy businesses. So if you’re looking for an impactful way to advertise your business, consider using an inflatable
Vehicles & Street Furniture
The street is a busy location and, in a big city, thousands and hundreds of thousands of people go by every day. So, there’s no wonder that most of the OOH ads are focused on the streets, either in traffic or on the sidewalk!
For instance, vehicle advertising is practiced by all sorts of businesses from food delivery services to funeral arrangements and real estate companies. The ads can be as big as a full wrap, transforming the entire vehicle into a traffic billboard (which can be effective) or as small as a sticker that asks the viewer to access a web address.
A good example of advertising on vehicles is food trucks. In this way, people not only turn the whole vehicle into their brand advertisement billboard but also get more creative and provide a long-lasting experience to their customers. You can try a food truck rental and be sure that they will turn their trucks into what it takes to help you get your brand on the street in a new and interactive way. New York is one of those big and busy cities where you can always find your customers and get your products to them for face-to-face interaction. This is a cool way to stand out from the crowd and to take a step forward from your competitors.
Street furniture is also a fantastic place for ads, which is why you’ll see benches, bus shelters, telephone kiosks and more.
Promotional Products
Here is where marketers can get as weird and as creative as they like!
Promotional products can be anything from pens to custom ties (check out goodthings.com.au if you don’t believe me). The downside of this form of advertising is that space is limited, so you can’t communicate too many details.
Of course, the upside is that the product will remain (most likely) in the possible customer’s possession, so they’ll be exposed to your ad for longer. Moreover, if people use your product (a pen or a tie for instance) they will expose other people around to your message.
Flyers / Posters / Stickers
Who hasn’t been handed a flyer on the street or at an event? Also, posters and stickers seem to flood the world nowadays, which is why their efficiency may not be as high.
However, in the right context, the right message can be disseminated without high costs, since these mediums are quite cheap and easy to manage.
Banners & Billboards
While they are big in surface and imposing in stance, banners and billboards can’t be used to send complex messages. This happens because people only see them for a few seconds (while driving by) or a few minutes (at best).
So, marketers tend to use these mediums to raise brand awareness. In the latest years, billboards can also be used to send people to a web address or an app, where they can find more details.
With this type of advertising, the way you present it is as important as the location. For instance, TNT’s banner ad in Belgium was so cleverly presented that it became viral in the online world!
Wrap Up
In conclusion, when it comes to marketing, there is no weird way of doing things. Regardless of how crazy and unique an idea is, if the social context fits, it will produce great results!