Outdoor advertising gives businesses an opportunity to reach people while they are travelling, shopping, attending events, or simply going about their day. Unlike online advertising, there is no need for somebody to open an app or visit a particular website before encountering the message.
That visibility can be valuable, but outdoor advertising also presents challenges. Weather, viewing distance, location, and the amount of time people have to absorb a message all influence whether a campaign succeeds. Careful planning can help businesses create displays that attract attention while communicating information clearly.
Choose the Location Carefully
Location is one of the most important considerations when planning outdoor advertising. A beautifully designed display will achieve little if hardly anybody can see it. Think about where your intended audience is likely to be and how they will encounter the advertisement. A banner positioned beside a busy road, for example, needs to communicate its message much more quickly than signage in an area where pedestrians regularly stop. Visibility matters too. Trees, street furniture, parked vehicles and other advertising can all affect how easily a display can be seen.
Select Materials for the Environment
Outdoor advertising materials have to cope with conditions that indoor displays rarely encounter. Wind and rain can place additional demands on banners and their fixings, particularly when they cover a large surface area. As a result, the material choice should reflect the intended application. Businesses and print professionals looking at mesh fabric print media can consider options designed for applications where airflow is an important factor. The small openings within mesh can allow air to pass through the material, making it particularly useful for certain large outdoor graphics.
Always consider how and where a display will be installed before selecting the material rather than treating every outdoor advertising project in the same way.
Keep Your Message Short
People may have only seconds to look at an outdoor advertisement. Trying to communicate too much information can leave them remembering none of it, so concentrate on one primary message. This might be a company name, a short promotional statement, a website, or information about an upcoming event. Typography should also be large enough to read from the expected viewing distance. Strong contrast between the background and lettering can then improve readability. All this combined gives you the perfect opportunity to draw in attention from people walking past.
Use Images With Impact
Images can communicate far more quickly than paragraphs of text, making them particularly useful outdoors. Choose photographs or graphics that remain understandable when enlarged and viewed from a distance. However, avoid cluttering the design with multiple competing images. One strong visual can give viewers an immediate focal point and leave more room for the essential message.
Consider the Surroundings
An advertisement does not exist in isolation. Look at the colours, structures and other signs surrounding the proposed location. A design that looks striking on a computer screen might disappear against a similarly coloured building. Equally, an extremely complicated design can become lost in a visually busy urban environment. Checking the location beforehand can reveal these problems before anything goes to print.
Review and Maintain Displays
Outdoor advertising needs occasional attention after installation. Dirt, damage, or loose fixings can make an advertisement look neglected and potentially create practical problems. Inspect displays regularly and replace them when they become worn or outdated. Businesses should also make sure they have any permissions required for their chosen location.
Successful outdoor advertising combines a good location with suitable materials and a message people can understand quickly. When those fundamentals are handled well, even a relatively simple display can make a business considerably more noticeable.
About the Author
