In today’s digital era, young marketers often ponder whether traditional outdoor advertising remains relevant. The answer isn’t straightforward, but the fact that generations of marketers have asked this question suggests outdoor advertising’s enduring importance. Perhaps its significant impact plays a role – it’s generally received positively and is particularly powerful in brand building and brand awareness. Let’s consider outdoor advertising from an external, objective viewpoint.
The Appeal of Outdoor Advertising
As discussed in our blog series on Out of Home, outdoor advertising is viewed more positively than other forms of advertising. This could be because it intrudes less into our private lives; we leave our “homes” expecting to have our attention sought after. Customers bombarded with digital advertising might find relief in experiencing static, classic, and tactile advertising. They feel less disrupted in their daily lives by it.
Reach and Cost
The reach of outdoor advertising greatly depends on its coverage. When a city is plastered with a series of advertising billboards, the reach is enormous. Even targeted, more affordable campaigns at strategically chosen locations can yield impressive results.
Measuring the exact impact of these campaigns is tricky and often based on estimates unless you have expert observers recording every glance at each billboard – which, realistically, is unlikely to have ever happened. “Did they look at it or just in its direction?” This remains a grey area.
Have You Seen This Billboard?
While these topics might not dominate an entire evening, they could occupy part of it. Large-scale billboard campaigns can communicate the advertising message quite memorably. However, adapting to the medium is crucial – it’s ineffective to describe products in 300 words, even if space allows. Regardless of the billboard’s size, the message should be instantly readable and understandable. Resonating with current trends or bringing a smile to potential customers’ faces usually denotes success. Creativity flourishes in every advertising medium, but traditional outdoor advertising remains a premier choice in the industry.
The Downsides…
A classic advertising form is classic for a reason. In today’s fast-paced digital era, outdoor advertising may appear somewhat cumbersome. Anyone involved in organising an outdoor advertising campaign knows that speed is not a priority. From planning and booking to creating the adverts, and until the last day of their display, changes are challenging to implement. Messages should be designed for the long term, taking potential eventualities into account.
For young digital natives, it might be challenging to grasp that advertising results can’t be monitored in real-time. Advertisements can’t be closely tailored to the target audience or adjusted based on performance. The true impact of a campaign is often only known much later, perhaps through surveys or inferred from positive sales figures.
The Right Media Mix
Concluding diplomatically, the right media mix is key to success. Digital doesn’t exclude traditional and should be integrated into a 360-degree campaign. Using the same advertising material in digital and print isn’t always effective; it must suit the medium to unleash its full potential and ensure successful overall presence.
Regardless of the pros and cons, one thing is certain: seeing your advertising material on a large billboard or public transport makes the hearts of entrepreneurs and marketers beat faster.
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