Today we will be talking about the basics of “Outdoor Advertising,” a crucial tactic in today’s business world. Any advertising that you see outside are all Outdoor Advertising.

There are different types of Outdoor Ads, but billboards are the most common examples. Other types, just to name a few, could be cars branded with advertiser logos and imagery, ads in a bus shelter, or park benches. Additionally, promotions in movie theaters before you watch your film are outdoor advertising.

Real-Life Example of Outdoor Advertising

Just yesterday, I was outside and saw a banner flying in the sky towed behind an airplane. That would be a slightly more extreme example of outdoor advertising!

Why Is Outdoor Advertising Better Than Digital Advertising?

In today’s time, you can see an ad at the bottom of any free app on your phone or the abundance of ads at the top of your google search. Not to mention how creepy it is when Facebook starts showing you ads, and you wonder how it knew you needed that item or service.

These types of ads start to go unnoticed, ignored, and even causes inconvenience to the customer to some extent. While advertisers battle to stick out on digital platforms, the outdoors has tremendous opportunities with a less crowded platform to convey their message.

Welcome to the wonderful world of Outdoor Advertising!

What Exactly Are Outdoor Ads?

If you are still not exactly sure what Outdoor Advertising is, just think of it as an ad that you see while you’re not at home. But you use your mobile even while you’re out of your house, right?

That’s how Outdoor Advertising works! It focuses more on the medium than the device.

Example Of Outdoor Ads

Outdoor Ads use the environment around them to make their point and are often tailored to their environment to stand out. For example, a billboard that is in a high place might advertise a window washing company and might include what looks like window washers hanging off of the billboard.

When done correctly, outdoor ads are potentially the most creative type of ads, and the ones that perform excellently are well thought out and imaginative. Outdoor advertising is all about getting the customers’ attention by being unique, creative, and offering a new perspective to view the ad.

Categories of Outdoor Advertising

We could literally spend hours composing a list of all the forms of outdoor ads but, since just about anything could become an outdoor ad, the possibilities are endless!

According to the Outdoor Advertising Association of America, here are the top four categories:

1. Billboards: Including traditional bulletin billboards, digital billboards, mobile billboards, and more.

2. Transit: Bus, train, subway, cab, and other forms of vehicle-focused ads.

3. Street Furniture: Ads on bus shelters, kiosks, benches, parking garages, bathrooms, and more.

4. Cinema advertising: Commercials before films begin and other ads around the movie theater.

There are a few other categories that things might fit into, such as guerrilla campaigns such as OctoGoat, which get people’s attention with bold and unexpected content.

In today’s digital age, you may even see how someone creatively tied the two together. Some examples include offering QR codes for connections to websites, using Bluetooth devices to ping people, or having an interactive ad such as a kiosk with a touch screen.

Things like these are becoming more and more popular, and experts estimate that it will soon account for almost half of all outdoor ads.

Why Is Outdoor Advertising Crucial?

So now that we know a little about outdoor ads and what they are. Let’s now talk about why they are crucial and a vital part of your business advertising tactics.

When we talk about your daily lives, we can split it up into three parts. When you’re at work/school (outside), at home, and when you’re asleep.

The first part of your day is the most crucial, and studies show that you are more liable to accept information when you are out and about. For example, you might look around and read some of the billboards while you’re stuck at the stoplight or waiting for the next bus at the bus stop.

Another reason why it is so important is that it allows ads to target you while you’re not in your home. It’s easy to show you an ad on the TV while you’re sitting in front of it, but what about the times when you’re not?!

Also, they’re way less intrusive than showing up on your personal devices.

Final Thoughts

If you’re still unsure about the dominance of Outdoor Ads, consider these closing arguments.

Outdoor ads often have a much lower cost. In the advertising world, we call that CPM or cost per thousand viewers.

You can use outdoor advertising, such as having your entire fleet of work trucks painted the same color and the same logo on the side. This is a super-easy way for the public to notice your company or business.

When advertising outdoors, you are always targeting the masses in such ways that you can’t with other forms of ads.

My personal favorite thing about Outdoor Ads is that they’re fun and creative. If you want your ad to be remembered, make it enjoyable.