In your drive home from work today, what’s the most noticeable ad you can remember along the way? Why do you think it stood out like a sore thumb among all the other outdoor advertising examples you passed through? Whatever it may be, one thing’s for sure, it successfully played its part since it got your attention. 

Back in 2015 alone, the total revenue generated from OOH (out-of-home) Advertising reached up to USD 7.3 billion. Is there a basis for this number and how true is it that it skyrocketed years after that? 

Defining Outdoor Advertising

Outdoor advertising can be defined as any marketing stunts and efforts conducted outside establishments. The most popular outdoor advertising examples are the billboards you see in the city skyline and the posts you read on buses and trains when you go to and from work. While they are not limited to media works, they are the most popular types under this great umbrella of marketing schemes. 

Outdoor advertising is an out-of-home or OOH transaction and it is installed out there to reach as many people as possible, making sure that the effect of the marketing stunt is maximized. 

Meeting Marketing Goals with Outdoor Advertising

Many businesses prefer using this type of advertising not just because of its popularity but also because it can effectively tick the checkboxes under their marketing goals one by one. Despite being subjected to external factors (weathering elements and dirt) that may possibly damage the paraphernalia, they can achieve the following:

• Boosts company and product visibility
• Builds or improves brand image and awareness
• Drives local sales

Despite its high rate of success, remember that the result of this marketing wonder can still be affected by other factors, including the content of the advertisement and its location. The technical aspect of the visuals will also be a deciding factor for its success, including the font, colors, and images used in the ad. 

To give you a summary of what good outdoor advertising examples should have, they include the following:

• Right message
• Correct target audience
• Strategic location and time
• Eye catchy content 

Introducing Outdoor Media

One of the terms you would hear when learning more about outdoor advertising is outdoor media. This pertains to all media mediums and avenues that carry marketing stunts and commercials. The most popular outdoor media venues are the following:

• Transit ads
• Billboards
• Bus stations
• Posters
• Street furniture ads
• Kiosks

Media venues can also come in something that can be distributed, including pamphlets and fliers. They can also be regarded as outdoor media venues, as well as the less traditional t-shirt advertising. 

The main goal of outdoor media is to help businesses establish a more stable presence in the market. Outdoor media is the default option for many marketers if they aim to strengthen brand image and recognition. For many, the most popular and practical choice is a billboard and if it fits the budget, digital billboard is the better option. 

4 Outdoor Advertising Examples Based on Categories

When learning all about outdoor advertising, discussing the different types used in the market today is a must. There are so many well-known outdoor advertising examples but there are only four categories. Introducing the major categories of outdoor advertising:

Hoardings

If you know billboards then you also know what hoardings are. They are outdoor media venues installed in high-traffic areas so that they can get the maximum reach possible for a marketing stunt. Technically speaking, a billboard is a type of hoarding, capable of gathering as much attention as it can from pedestrians and drivers alike. Since the ad can be seen by anyone within its location 24/7, it guarantees effective improvement of the brand.  

Street Furniture Advertising

This outdoor advertising category refers to ads that you can see along the road. Among all the categories of outdoor advertising, it is the one that’s considered urban level. Some examples of its mediums are the following:

• ATM kiosks
• Telephone booths
• Park benches
• Mall kiosks
• News racks

Its main difference with hoarding is that it’s installed at eye level, whereas the outdoor advertising examples get people’s attention by simply being there somewhere they can easily be seen. These are the ads you will see as you walk all over the city.  And unknowingly, you become more familiar with the ads as you go through the streets every day. This is the cheapest among the outdoor advertising examples you will find there. 

Transit Advertising

What makes transit advertising different is that they are mounted in public vehicles. Besides inside and outside the public transport vehicles, you will also see these in the stations that the public vehicles consider as headquarters. Some outdoor advertising examples under the category of transport advertising are the following:

• Auto branding
• Bus branding
• Cab branding
• Metro advertising
• Train branding

You will find the ads in airports, bus shelters, petrol pumps, and train stations. The constant exposure of commuters and pedestrians alike to these outdoor ads makes them effective and easy to remember. Since its marketing strategy is pretty straightforward, you also get to enjoy its cheap pricing. 

Non-Traditional Advertising

Finally, non-traditional advertising is the last category for outdoor ads. They often go beyond the basic medium for the ad and serve as a marketing spectacle that will definitely turn heads. The outdoor advertising examples under this category are the following:

• Hot air balloons
• Pole kiosks
• Sailboats
• Walking billboards
• Mall advertising
  • Cricket Stadium
  • Cutouts
  • Elevator wraps
  • Food court advertising
  • Kiosks
  • Standees

Hoarding vs. Billboard: What’s the Difference?

Hoarding and billboards are often confused with one another. While they have similarities, they mean differently. Hoarding is the outdoor advertising category that billboards belong to. 

The best way to imagine the difference between the two is to create a Venn diagram. While all billboards are hoardings, not all hoardings are billboards. Hoardings may include other outdoor advertising examples that do not look as good as billboards. To put it simply, billboards are the best type of hoardings there are. Some of the types of billboards you can take into account are:

• Classic billboards
• Digital billboards
• Mobile Billboards
• Painted billboards
• Vinyl billboards

Transit Advertising vs. Wraps: What’s the Difference?

Similar cases with hoardings and billboards, transit advertising, and wraps are also often used interchangeably because of how closely similar they are too. Transit advertising is the category that wraps belong to. This means that while all wraps are transit advertising, not all transit advertising mediums are wraps. 

Technically, transit advertising refers to all media ads that are displayed in the territory of public transit, whether that’s inside the vehicle, outside the vehicle, or even at the stations where the vehicle stops. If they’re outdoor advertising examples displayed within the vicinity of public transport, they are transit advertising. Wraps are only one of those mediums. 

Just as how they are named, wraps are ads you can find on the surface of a public transport vehicle’s exterior. If you see an ad displayed on the side of the bus, that’s what you call a wrap. They are popularly used in cabs, buses, and even auto-rickshaws. With a moving ad like this, more people are expected to see it. 

The basic characteristics of wraps are what make it different from transit advertising. Since there are also ads that can be found in the interior of public vehicles, like buses and trains, transit advertising can be considered synonymous with wrap alone. 

6 Different Types of Advertising Boards

If you’re looking for outdoor advertising examples under the board’s type, these are some of the ideal ads you can consider:

Posters

This refers to media ads that measure only half of the size of a regular billboard. They are often in portrait layout since their width is only ½ of a standard billboard’s size. You’ll see these ads in local markets and stores. 

Bulletins

Also known as the classic billboards, these are the outdoor advertising examples available in areas with high foot traffic like highways and main streets. They are the ones you would often see while driving to work and would sometimes make you look up because of their sizes (typically around 14 x 48 feet, height x width measurement). They are considered the biggest billboards used in the city skylines. 

Painted Billboards

This type of billboard can be considered almost obsolete since you won’t easily find one today. It doesn’t mean that these billboards were not masterpieces of their own tights. However, it requires more time and effort, which many businesses don’t want to spare on a single ad. Today, they choose to use ready-made, printed, and produced billboards rather than the ones you will still need to make. 

Vinyl Billboards

Vinyl billboards refer to the upgraded form of the classic billboards, with the addition of a characteristic that makes them look brighter. These outdoor advertising examples are popular for being durable, primarily because of the use of UV-resistant paint. They are structured to last for 3 to 5 years even when exposed daily to weathering elements like strong wind and rain. 

Digital Billboards

If you’re looking for innovative outdoor advertising examples that will remind you that we’re in the modern world, digital billboards are the way to go. These expensive types of billboards are becoming more and more popular in the market today, showcasing their advanced technology and carrying the idea that these billboard displays provide better images and are even more convenient to operate. 

Mobile Billboards

Mobile billboards prove to be one of the trendiest types used in the market today. These are smaller billboards found on top of transport vehicles and other moving objects. One of the outdoor advertising examples under mobile billboards is the Taxi-top billboard. 

Benefits and Drawbacks of Using Outdoor Advertising

If you’re considering several outdoor advertising examples popular in the market today, make sure that you know what you’re about to deal with. Outdoor advertising is more than just a new marketing strategy since it’s also a guaranteed new expense. 

Let’s dive deeper into the pros and cons of using outdoor advertising examples so prepare your yellow pad and take note. 

Outdoor Advertising Advantages

Why are outdoor advertising examples filling up the city skyline? What makes it a popular option for businesses and individuals alike? 

Outdoor advertising is a good marketing stunt to mimic and these are some of the reasons why you should continue your plan to get your ad up. And running immediately:

• Effective mass marketing – This type of advertising easily and successfully brings a large number of people to pay attention to your ads (hopefully translates to revenue too) 
• Promotes better brand image – companies who use outdoor advertising examples are known to be reputable and have a good image in the market. Following that logic, this can be a good opportunity to create an excellent brand image for your business too. 
• Creatives positive impact on the business – This advertising type is designed to have content that can stick to people’s minds. Once the ad continues to hover in their mind, they will instinctively be called to action and respond according to the marketing stunt. 

Outdoor Advertising Disadvantages

To keep a balanced outlook in using outdoor advertising examples and make sure that you cover all the bases in this decision, identify the advantages that can also make it a bit hard for you. It is only right and fair to also learn about the following challenges and drawbacks you may experience in using the best outdoor advertising examples in the city skylines today:

• Using non-sustainable materials – Some of the commercial hoardings used in the past are made from materials that have already been banned today. The use of non-sustainable materials just to create your advertisement is not only selfish but also irresponsible. Single-use plastic has been known to cause irreparable damage to our environment and with the fight for better preservation of the earth, it is a wise business decision to stray from something that can damage your company’s reputation. 
• Out-of-place aesthetics in the city skyline – While it may be dependent on your content and the images and colors you use, an out-of-place hoarding can ruin the aesthetics of the city skyline, especially if you’re using the traditional hoarding when all of the running billboards now are digital and visually impressive.

How Much Should You Prepare for the Best of OOH Marketing Examples

When planning to use one of the most successful outdoor advertising examples you’ve seen, you should be ready for the expenses that come with it. You can’t get a specific number for its cost because several factors can increase or decrease this number, from 

Different Aspects That Affect Outdoor Advertising Cost

To have an inkling of what to look out for in your outdoor ad’s cost, you will have to consider the following elements and their effects on your future expenses:

• Ad size – The size of the ads greatly affects their cost. Massive outdoor advertising examples tend to be expensive because of how big they are. Keep your budget in mind when you decide on the size of your outdoor advertising examples. Take into account the location you plan to install it since it might be too big or too small once you put it up.
• Outdoor advertising type – With many mediums to choose from, it can admittedly be overwhelming. To make it simpler, go back to your marketing goals and analyze what you wish to accomplish with your ad. Are you making a message for commuters? If yes, the transit advertisement is the best way to go. In general, you always have the choice between hoarding and street furniture advertising. Hoardings are often more expensive than street furniture advertising so make a thorough decision. 
• Strategic location – Popular locations with high foot traffic are expensive spots. If you will rent a space to display your ad, canvass for the prices of the locations first. Highly visible spots will also cost more, especially if they are facing toward the traffic direction on the street.
• City/town – The costs for advertising differ from one city to another, depending on how populated the places are. A modern city filled with people is more likely to have more expensive locations than a small urban town.
• Inserted lighting – Outdoor advertising examples with lighting tend to be more expensive but they’re also more effective. These billboards will be noticeable day and night so you won’t have to worry about wasting half of a day with an unlit billboard no one will see when it’s dark. 

What Should I Do if My Budget Is Tight?

Some of the best outdoor advertising examples that have become successful don’t have a small budget that the marketing and creative team have to split and suffer for. Creativity is one of the most expensive talents in the world and creating an effective ad that can bring people together and contribute positively to a business takes a lot of effort and money. However, if ever you’re put in a spot where you have to tighten your belt and make the most out of a small budget provided for you, there are some things you can do to make the situation tolerable. 

• Consider street furniture advertising over hoardings – While billboards may be the most popular outdoor advertising examples, it is not the cheapest. For a tight budget, you might want to consider street furniture advertising. Invade the world of newsstands, store signage, kiosks, and even convenience store panels. They may not be as big and catchy as billboards but they have customer reach and can do their job. 
• Be open to flyers and coupons – If street furniture ads are not the best outdoor advertising examples for you, go with a more personal approach through flyers and coupons. These are often the go-to ad mediums for small to mid-sized companies because of their effectiveness despite and small investment. 
• Consider using car magnets – Wraps are definitely the most popular transit advertising but they’re not your only option. If you want your ad to be mobile, car magnets can also be a good option. They’re not as expensive as wraps but they also catch attention.
• Explore bicycle advertising – Do something different and old-school to get people’s attention. Actually, jumping on the bandwagon and going for billboards may not be as effective as it seems, especially if everyone’s doing it. Why not try using bicycle advertising and explore how effective and inexpensive it is? 

Outdoor Advertising Secret: It’s All About the Location

When it comes to the success of outdoor advertising examples, it’s all about choosing the right location. This is because your advertising schemes can easily stumble down to failure if you pick the wrong site to use. 

What Is the Benefit of Choosing the Right Outdoor Advertising Location? 

Is it really all about the location? For outdoor advertising, many factors come to mind when you think about the elements that can drive its success. Location is one of these elements and a very important element at that. 

If you take into account the best outdoor advertising examples and their specific locations, you will notice that they are often installed somewhere with high foot traffic. In the case of outdoor marketing, this is the most logical decision since your goal is to reach as many people as possible. The downside with this though is, that besides the fact that it’s expensive, you will have to compete with vendors, ad companies, advertisers, and the marketing teams of companies for the location. 

In this case, it is better to go to “site recce” to find the best spot for your ad. Have you heard of this term before? This term refers to the act of canvassing for a location that will be perfect for outdoor advertising examples. Technically, it is a process where you will go around the city or town and check out locations that can be great spots for advertising. If you’re an ad agency, you would probably bring your client along to immediately get approval. However, if you’re working for your company, you can just take your marketing team and even brainstorm while out. 

Yes, it can be overwhelming when you go out and see all these billboards already up and the city skylines already filled with ads that are not yours. The key though is to consider all angles in the city and to look into the different types of outdoor locations marketers often use. Go back to the basics and identify the different types. 

4 Different Types of Outdoor Locations for Advertisements to Consider

First, look into the successful outdoor advertising examples you know and check out where they are located. While you don’t need to mimic everything these ads have, you can take note of the elements that apply to your marketing needs and can be tools for your ad’s success too. To give you a headstart, these are some of the types of outdoor locations you can choose from:

1. Long Visible Locations

Taking into account all the outdoor advertising examples throughout history, they are often located on this type of site. Getting these locations is considered good luck since they offer the much-needed exposure you’d want your ad to have. 

With a long viewing distance, people will be able to see the ad from afar and as they cruise along would stick in their minds. When you get this location, make sure to make the content as clear as possible, with readable fonts that won’t be irritating to the eyes. 

The only downside with this type of location is that since it is the most popular and frankly a gold mine, they will always be expensive to get. 

2. Locations On Pavements (Or Away)

The outdoor advertising examples located on the pavements are also popular but not as much as the areas with long visibility. These are the locations on the side of the road but nearer to the streets and can be seen if you look out the window. True enough, it doesn’t offer much visibility when compared to the first type of advertising location but when there’s foot traffic, ads on these sites will still be noticed at the end of the day. 

3. Locations On A Curve

When driving on the street, you pay close attention to when you are turning or on a curve. This is logical since the change in direction needs concentration. With a high level of alertness, marketers take advantage of this fact and often place ads on the curve. If you also want to take advantage of this phenomenon, place your outdoor advertisement in this location and you will surely get the attention of all the drivers making a turn in that area. Other areas that bear the same logic are on the top of a flyover and the bridge.

4. Locations Near Run-down Areas

It may seem weird to consider run-down areas as one of the options for advertisements but it’s actually more of a practical decision. Putting advertisements near slums and similar environments will give your ad the attention that it needs. A bit cruel as it may sound, viewers would prefer looking at other things (like your ads) rather than starting at something not clear and organized like these environments.

With all of these options, you have so many to choose from and consider. You just need to plan properly and coordinate all the elements that will make your outdoor advertising a marketing success. 

Conclusion

What are your favorite outdoor advertising examples? With many to choose from, using them as inspirations will help you succeed. Consider the different types of outdoor advertisements and the ideal locations you can take advantage of. At the same time, make sure to look into your budget every now and then to avoid future dilemmas.