Humans have known for millennia that the clearest method for conveying ideas is to make them unfathomably huge. Billboards have many advantages: they can be targeted to specific areas within a market, offer an unparalleled opportunity for strong art, and generate a high number of impressions per dollar. However, there are only so many choice spots available for outdoor advertising, and areas with multiple boards can quickly become over-saturated. Recently, the Ohlmann Group’s Senior Media Strategist, Helen Mumaw, rose to this challenge and delivered a stunning series of three billboards. The ads are designed to be read sequentially as drivers speed past, and they are nearly impossible to ignore.
Below, Helen talks a bit about executing this project:
In a difficult media buying market:
“In the area we were targeting, there are not a lot of media options. We are constantly trying to come up with ideas about what kind of media to use. Because the client draws from an area significantly smaller than the DMA they are located in, we are very limited.”
Helen found a creative solution:
“Just north of the target area, I knew of a stretch of road on I-75 where there were several billboards located. Because I constantly monitor the outdoor availabilities and rates, I knew the rates on the boards could be negotiated to the point where I thought “wouldn’t it be cool to buy three in a row and put up a sequential message”. I knew we needed something different to stand out.”
And the results are eye-catching:
“Highway billboards are regulated by the state to be a set distance from the side of the road. So even though the size of the board can be up to 60’ long, the distance makes the readability difficult if there is too much copy on them, especially at the speeds being driven. We wanted to do something prominent; the sequential boards made that possible.”
Helen’s last word on billboards:
“Outdoor bulletins provide a larger-than-life image and are typically purchased for a long period of time. So, when the creative is right, they grab people’s attention and make an impact.”
Interested in seeing more ingenious applications of outdoor advertising? Check out this spectacular list on Hongkiat.com
