Because of the fleeting attention span of billboard viewers, there is a limited amount of time that effective Chattanooga billboards have to grab the viewer's attention and deliver a clear and memorable message to the viewer in a short amount of time. Outdoor ads must perform in the real world, as opposed to websites or brochures, which rely on viewing time, speed of traffic, viewing distance, location, and surrounding visual elements. The best designs usually have a single message, features memorable visuals, helps to build brand recognition, and tailors the creative to the audience and context. Instead of relying on a formula, companies should take into account their campaign goal and apply practical billboard design principles to produce outdoor advertising that is noticeable, understandable and memorable.

1.   Be Concise and to the Point

One of the most useful principles in outdoor advertising is simplicity, for often times people face billboards where they cannot read for a prolonged time.

The driver is seeing the billboard differently than a person at a transit shelter. If the ads had the same number of words, it would be a disregard of the environment.

Start With One Communication Goal

Identify the goal of the ad before you write the headline.

For example:

Critically assess the introduction of a new brand into the markets.

•                    Promote a product

•                    Announce an event

•                    Increase local awareness

•                    Encourage store visits

•                    Promote a time-limited offer.

Direct customers to a website; Guide them to the website.

After a goal, eliminate information that doesn't aid in it.

Example

One landscaping company might be tempted to write:

Professional Residential and Commercial Landscaping, Lawn Maintenance, Garden Design, Irrigation and Outdoor Living Solutions.

It will work on a service page, but it would be over-complicating things in many billboard applications.

A more focused concept could be:

Select Typography for Real Viewing Environment

Type needs to perform in the real world.

An elegant font that is easy to read on a computer screen at 100% size may be hard to read on a screen several hundred feet away.

Prioritize Legibility

When thinking about typography, keep in mind:

•            Letter size

•            Font weight

•            Character spacing

•            Line spacing

•            Contrast

•            Viewing distance

•            Viewing angle

•            Traffic speed

Decorative typography can be used for branding, but it shouldn't detract from the main message.

2.   Make the important elements stand out by using Contrast.

Just as good copy and great pictures can make a bad billboard, poor copy and superb pictures can make a great billboard.

Contrast gives contrast with the environment around the message.

Color is not the only way to create contrast.

Contrast can be achieved by:

•                    Lightness and darkness of areas.

•                    Two distinct sizes of both elements.

•                    Regular and bold typography

•                    Clear out and clean up areas.

•                    Different shapes

•                    Positioning

•                    Scale

For instance, if the text you want to highlight is white, it may be hard to see over the detailed photo.

The problem is not necessarily the font. The issue is the relationship between the text and background.

3.   Incorporate One Strong Visual Rather than Several Competing Images

It is not always necessary to make a complicated billboard.

One good picture can say more than a string of smaller images in many instances.

Imagine a new restaurant launched with a special new menu item.

Instead of showing:

•            The restaurant exterior

•            Several menu items

•            A chef

•            Customers

•            A map

•            Multiple promotional badges

The design could be centered around a single mouth-watering product photo, a short headline and well-known brand.

The viewer is immediately aware of where to look.

4.   Make the Brand easily recognizable

There's nothing remarkable about an ad that people remember, but don't remember its source.

Brand recognition should therefore be included in the strategy of the creative.

Follow the use of consistent brand elements.

These can vary by business and may include:

•            Logo

•            Brand colors

•            Typography

•            Product packaging

•            Tagline

•            Distinctive imagery

•            Recognizable design patterns

When billboard advertising is a component of a larger campaign, consistency is of even greater value.

The individual may see the billboard one day, find the same message on social media another day and visit the company's website another day.

Those experiences can be linked by consistent visual context.

5.   Design for the context and audience

It may seem like a simple error, but one of the most common in outdoor advertising is to focus on a hypothetical consumer when they are not the actual people who will see the advertisement.

The location has an impact on the time that a person can spend on the message and what they are doing at the time.

Highway Billboards

These generally need particularly fast comprehension.

The design can highlight:

•            Large text

•            One strong visual

•            Minimal copy

•            Strong contrast

•            Immediate brand recognition

Urban Roadside Displays

Viewing conditions may be more involved in urban environments.

The advertisement is seen by people while:

•            Driving

•            Waiting at intersections

•            Walking

•            Riding public transportation

•            Shopping

Creative can therefore be tailored to meet the context instead of assuming all billboards are the same.

6.   Provide Viewers with a clear Next Step

A CTA is not required for all billboards.

Unless the campaign is for brand awareness, forcing viewers to go to a website or scan a QR code could be an unnecessary step.

However, if the campaign aims for action, then the subsequent step will be evident.

Examples include:

•            Visit Us Today

•            Shop Now

•            Call Today

•            Scan for the Offer

7.   This is the 5-second billboard test.

When considering a billboard, you should do a quick test.

Present the design to a person who hasn't been involved in the campaign.

Then ask:

For which company was this?

Tests brand recognition.

What was advertised being sold?

Tests message clarity.

What are some of your memories?

The tests determined which element really stood out.

What was the most important visual?

Tests visual hierarchy.

Did you need to do anything?

Tests CTA clarity.

This is NOT a scientific measurement of advertising effectiveness. It's a practical quality control test, which can detect apparent communication issues at the pre-production stage.

When the design is consistently recalled but not the brand, the design might require more branding.

If they are familiar with the brand name but do not know the offer then the message needs to be simplified.

To create and design a billboard, there are certain errors that need to be avoided:

The successful advertisement can falter if the fundamentals of communication are neglected.

Too Much Information

Don't try to duplicate a website on the billboard.

Weak Contrast

When the headline blends in with the background, the audience might not catch the message.

The design is cluttered with too many elements.

There are several images, icons, headlines and promotional elements that can vie for attention.

Inconsistent Branding

A good ad that stands out from its counterparts at the company can be a negative effect on recognition.

Generic Messaging

A short story is not necessarily a memorable one.

Tiny Details

Details and details of secondary information may not be easily discerned from the intended distance.

Unclear CTA

When the audience is supposed to respond, the next step should be apparent.

The design of "Only for the Screen".

The final test should be conducted under the test conditions that approach the real viewing environment.

How to measure the effectiveness of billboard advertising.

A business goal should ultimately be the basis for a good design.

Depending on the campaign goals, the right metric would be one of the following:

For Brand Awareness

Potential measures include:

•            Reach

•            Frequency

•            Brand awareness

•            Brand recall

•            Brand lift

For Digital Engagement

Businesses may monitor:

•            Website visits

•            QR code scans

•            Landing-page activity

•            App downloads

For Lead Generation

Potential measures include:

•            Calls

•            Form submissions

•            Inquiries

•            Qualified leads

For Retail Campaigns

In accordance with the measurement method available:

•            Store visits

•            Offer redemptions

•            Sales

•            Location-specific traffic

None of these measures should be seen as a sign of a billboard's effectiveness and ability to "cause" a sale.

Outdoor advertising can engage with other marketing channels, consumer behavior, seasonal demand and the overall market.

Therefore, it is crucial for businesses to set their KPIs prior to the campaign to ensure that they are on the right track.

The exact nature of what Billboard Design can, and can't, guarantee.

Though good design enhances communication, it cannot ensure a specific business result.

Despite its great appearance, a billboard can fail to perform if:

•                    It is placed in the wrong location.

•                    There is a poor match-up.

•                    The offer is not appealing.

•                    The brand is not known.

•                    The campaign time line is very short.

•                    The message is not of value to consumers.

•                    The design of the measurement is inadequate.

Similarly, a straightforward and simple message on a billboard can work better than a complex, visual message if it's delivered to an audience that is relevant to the message.

That's why billboard design must be part of a greater advertising campaign.

The outcomes are driven by creative, placement, the audience, timing, offer, and measurement.

Billboard Design Checklist

When you are considering sending a billboard to production, consider asking:

•                    Are there any clear primary messages?

•                    Is the message easily comprehensible?

•                    Is the typography readable from the expected distance?

•                    Is there sufficient contrast?

•                    Does there appear to be a dominant visual?

•                    Does the brand stand out in the mind of the customer?

•                    Does the design support the site?

•                    Do you see any real need for the CTA?

•                    Does any QR code work correctly?

•                    Are viewing sizes considered that the design has been tested?

•                    Are there any extraneous details that can be taken out?

•                    Will the design achieve the actual goal of the campaign?

If more than one response is “no”, then it is likely that the advertisement needs another iteration of refinement.

Frequently Asked Questions

•                    So, what makes a billboard design effective?

The key elements of a successful billboard design include a clear message, readable type, strong visual hierarchy, proper contrast, memorable imagery, recognizable branding and an appropriate design for the viewing space.

•                    What is the optimal amount of text for a billboard?

The word count does not always apply to all billboards. It varies with distance from the screen, the speed of the traffic, the audience, location and format. The quicker people are moving the simpler the message needs to be.

•                    Which font is suitable for billboard advertising?

There is no universal font which is correct. Consider legibility, size, spacing, weight and contrast. The font style should be legible at the viewing distance.

•                    What Colors Should Be Used for Billboards?

There is no such thing as best billboard color. It is more important to select the right contrast and legibility than make a specific color choice. Also, some attention needs to be paid to brand colors to ensure that the ad is consistent with the company's brand.

•                    What can I do to make a billboard stick in a passer's mind?

The first step is to have one distinctive idea, introduce one strong visual or message, make the brand recognizable, and get rid of all the clutter. The intent of the billboard is not to complicate the billboard; the intent of the billboard is to make the important idea easy to be seen and easy to be remembered.

•                    Should all the billboards be QR coded?

No. A QR code is necessary when there are a mobile action and a relevant destination. One too many can cause visual confusion.

•                    Which is more effective: digital or static billboards?

There's no automatic superiority to one format over another. Billboards are extremely flexible with the changing of creative and scheduling messages while static billboards can be very effective when a business has a message that needs to be seen for a long time, and for a long time, only in the right place.

Conclusion

One thing that comes to mind when considering creating a memorable billboard is not adding more design elements, but rather making the appropriate one’s count.

Begin with the audience and environment. Determine the purpose of the advertisement. Create around one single point, apply typography for the real distance, ensure a good contrast, select images that enhance the message and make the brand visible.

If a response is required, provide a simple next step.

Next, test the design before going into production.

The most helpful principle of a billboard design is actually a simple one:

Ensure the important message is noticeable, understandable, and memorable to the brand.

That is a more sustainable method than an attempt to follow a specific trend as it arises as it centers on the basic communications problem all outdoor advertising has ever had: getting attention in the real world and converting that fleeting moment.