Increase Your Brand Visibility with Highly Effective Billboard Design

Any marketing plan worth its salt will include advertising to increase the visibility of their brand, service or product. For more than a century, billboards have been used to do this – and very successfully too! Because there are now more motorists than ever and traffic is heavier than ever, billboard advertising is still one of the most popular advertising tools out there today.

But it is not just about sticking a picture of your brand up there. The design of your actual billboard has to draw the eye for all the right reasons, while still being able to transmit a certain perception of your brand to the potential consumer to stimulate interest. Billboard design is therefore very important. Here we provide you with some tips on great billboard design that will catch the eye of the right people and encourage them to remember your brand.

Tell a story: People tend to remember stories better than facts, and because billboards depend on the visual design it is necessary to translate the story through the design, which means that you have to have a design strategy about the story you want to tell with images (mostly) and text (less). An ironic or fun take on current situations that relate to your story can have a big impact, especially if they can generate some laughter or a catchy slogan that is easy to remember. Images are also important and, in fact, they should be the main focus, underlined by the text.
Less is more: Remember that people driving on highway billboards and roads only have a few seconds to view your billboard, and therefore maximum impact is needed. Focus on an idea that will tell the entire story in about 5 – 7 seconds. 7 Words of text should do the trick.
Get Noticed: Go big when it comes to images. Loud images with large, easy-to-read text will get the message across a lot easier. Fonts should be easy to read, large and bold. Don’t be afraid to create maximum impact!
Use colour wisely: While bright colours are noticeable, they have to be within the context of the message. Advertising an established law firm in vivid pink, for instance, may cause confusion about the seriousness of the organisation. Colour attracts, this is for sure, but care has to be taken in terms of the colours and colour combinations used to advertise a brand. Bold colours have to be in the forefront, and duller colours used as a background or setting. Dynamic, active images attract attention, so be sure about the message you want to convey with the colours you use!
Location, location, location! Not all billboards will carry the same weight. If you have the luxury of using a billboard at a busy crossing, you are able to impart a lot more information to the observer because they will have time to look at it while they sit in their vehicles waiting for the lights to change. Be cognisant of the type of advertising you use and where it is being used. Fly-by billboard advertising on very busy highways will be different to the type of billboard advertising you could choose if you have a lot of stationery vehicles.

If you are unsure about good billboard design and how to harness the power of great billboard design and location, our experts at Face First Media are only too happy to help!