When billboard advertising was invented in the 1830s, the advertisements were typically local in nature and focused on practical products like horse blankets, medicines, and other useful products for that era. In modern times, we have internet ads, television ads, and even…blogs (shh). While it may seem like billboards are a medium of the past, the truth is that people travel in vehicles more than ever now. 95% of households own a car and 85% of people get to work in a car. Despite the rise of technology, billboards still serve a vital purpose in outdoor advertising.
Billboards are typically printed on vinyl banner material, but we can produce whatever is needed to meet your needs. Vinyl is common and ideal for billboard advertising frames that already have a solid backing because vinyl is durable and easy to secure to the frame. However, in instances where there is no back support, we may recommend a mesh banner that will allow wind to pass through, reducing wind load on the banner itself.
Attitash Mountain Resort used vinyl banner material on their billboard advertising the NOR’EASTER Mountain Coaster. The design of this billboard, coupled with high-quality vinyl display, causes the billboard to stand out, ensuring drivers notice the sign as they travel past. Because the customer used durable vinyl banner material, they can remove the banner and store it during warmer months until the following winter.
On a different billboard, the frame only supports sturdier materials. In this instance AMI printed the graphics on aluminum sheets to fit the frame, rather than vinyl material. Despite unique surface material, AMI was able to produce a display that matched the client’s vision.
Tips for Effective Billboard Advertising
There are multiple factors to consider when engaging in billboard advertising. It’s important that your display garners attention, but also remains simple enough that all of the information on the billboard can be absorbed in one pass.
Less is More
Keep it simple when it comes to billboard advertising. Include just enough information to spark the viewer’s interest. Too much information can overwhelm and cause the important information to be missed.
Another way to keep it simple is a clear sans-serif font. Using a complex font can be hard to read, especially when it is printed on a billboard.
Use Contrasting Colors
Allocating money for a billboard is a waste if you don’t take steps to make your billboard stand out. Using contrasting colors helps your message stand out from the background. It also ensures that your text is readable from greater distances and easier to comprehend in a short period of time.
Think About Where Your Billboard is Displayed
It is helpful to know the geographic location of the billboard prior to designing it. If your billboard was a mile from an athletic facility, it might be a good idea to try and include that into the theme of your billboard. Many of the people viewing your billboard will be passing it in order to get to the stadium. Incorporating that into your theme is a quick and easy way to relate to the viewers, making them more likely to read and remember your billboard.
In this photo we see how the Yankee Smokehouse incorporates a lot of best practices for billboard design onto their vinyl billboard. They don’t try to pack too much information onto their sign, using just fifteen total words. Their font is simple and each line contrasts with its background, creating an impactful advertisement.
On the right side, we can also see how the Eagle Mountain House incorporates best practices for billboard advertising as well. On the bottom of their banner they highlight key selling points for their hotel like “Kids Eat FREE,” “Game Room,” and “FREE Wifi.” This is a great example of a design element influenced by the location of the billboard. This billboard is located on the main roadway into the White Mountains of New Hampshire, a popular vacation spot for families. The Eagle Mountain House is tailoring their billboard to families with children.
Billboard advertising is an excellent addition to a marketing strategy for the right organizations. If you need a billboard printed for your company, reach out to the pros at AMI to get your brand displayed for all to see!