Effective Outdoor Advertising

Be BRIEF.

Be SIMPLE.

Be CLEAR.

The rule for outdoor copy is: Less is more. An important question to ask is does your message communicate clearly and effectively within 6-10 seconds? Advertising copy should be kept seven to ten words or less and should be concise to register quickly in the minds of a moving audience. Simplicity is key.

The rule for COLOR is: Use PMS (color system) colors with a high contrast in hue and value. Contrasting colors work best when viewed from a distance, i.e. light colors on dark colors or, dark colors on light colors. Do the colors contrast with the surroundings? (sky, buildings, trees) Are the colors attractive?

Creative Hints: Using an image along with copy can attract the eyes of your audience and make a lasting impression. A good example is the Chick Filet’s cows. To stand out from other boards you may consider extensions. Extending an image beyond the board will be more noticeable and memorable.

The rule for type and lettering is: Simple, clear, and easy to read. The use of all capital letters should be kept to a minimum. Be careful with spacing – Avoid overly bold or thin lettering. Fonts that work best have sturdy letters with even s p a c i n g. Fonts that work best on billboards are simple fonts that have the same thickness throughout each character. Also make sure your text does not crowd the letters together. This could result in confusion.

Final rule of thumb: Remember less is more. Before turning in your final approved artwork, have someone hold the artwork up for you about 10 feet away. That will be a good indication of how well the artwork will read on a billboard.

There are few exceptions in the cases where a billboard might be close to the road, or visible from a traffic light where people might be stopped and will have time to read everything on the billboard. For the most part, the above guidelines apply to all outdoor advertising