Outdoor advertising

Outdoor advertising is the oldest established form of advertising and evidence of its use has been found on Greek and Roman remains. This is not surprising because even in those days public announcements had to be made and a wall was as good a place as any on which to carve a message. One of the earliest forms of outdoor advertising was the inn sign which has remained in use to the present day. It is believed that the spread of the Great Fire of London in 1666 was assisted by the wooden signs which reached across the narrow streets of the City from one building to another. In the 1930s the well-designed posters on the hoardings were nicknamed the ‘poor man's art gallery'. When commercial TV arrived in 1955, it lured many advertisers to the new medium and outdoor advertising suffered a decline; but, in time, it has recovered its popularity. Today, outdoor advertising has seen innovations, such as spelling out the message high up on a building, the spangled flutter signs, common in Asiatic cities and so on.

In fact, outdoor advertising is useful for reminder copy and can support other media activities. For example, the effect of television advertisement can be prolonged if recipients are exposed to a reminder poster on their way to work the following day. Posters can generally be used to convey a simple communication rather than complex details. Thus, the creative work associated with posters requires simplicity because of the fact that many people (for example, car drivers) will have the opportunity only to glance at a poster. Like the press, a poster is visual only and, as mentioned before, it is often used as a support medium (backing a television or press campaign) because of its creative limitations.

Together with transportation advertising , this medium has shown great resilience and ingenuity as times, fortunes and regulations have had their impact on it. In developing countries, for example, it has proved to be an excellent means of advertising to multi-language, multi-ethnic or illiterate people. (David Jobber, 1997)

The difference between outdoor and transportation advertising

Although these two are often put together and described collectively as ‘outdoor', a distinction is necessary. Thus, while "outdoor advertising" consists of posters of various sizes and painted, metal and illuminated signs displayed on outdoor sites, "transportation advertising" consists on similar advertising on the outside and inside of vehicles (which are moving sites) and on transportation property and premises which can include indoor sites such as within bus and railway stations, airports and seaports. The advertisements inside public transport vehicles and inside buildings where people are waiting allow for more detailed messages than is possible on posters and signs seen by passers-by. Of course, this type of advertising has also advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of outdoor advertising

•  Size and dominance . Because of its size, the poster dominates the view.

•  Colour . Most posters are in full colour, with realistic scenes and pictures of products.

•  Brief copy . Since the appeal is to people on the move and the posters may be seen from the distance, the copy is usually confined to a slogan and a name printed in large letters.

•  Zoning . Campaigns can be organised in selected regions or towns and if posters are strategically situated, they can provide a very economical advertising campaign.

•  Probably the most important characteristic of posters is their ability to create, through boldness, colour, size and repetition, brand awareness.

•  Posters reach all sectors of the population and thus, the audience of outdoor advertising is unfragmented unlike that of other media, but is especially effective in reaching young and upmarket adults.

Disadvantages of outdoor advertising

•  The inability to use much copy.

•  Possible damage by vandals or the weather.

•  The lack of concentration on the message by passers-by - a big problem with outdoor advertising.

•  The time it takes to design, print and exhibit posters.

On the other hand, transportation advertising is seen by the travelling public who have the time while waiting at terminals or stations or while travelling on public transport to absorb messages. In fact reading advertisements may help pass the time. Consequently, transportation advertisements, unless perhaps where they are on the exteriors of vehicles (for example, buses, trams, delivery vans or taxi-cabs), can be much more detailed. Unfortunately, transportation advertising has both advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of transportation advertising

•  Variety of sites and sizes . Throughout the road, rail, sea and air passenger and goods transportation system there is a great variety of sites and sizes so that the medium lends itself to the campaigns of many advertisers, local, metropolitan, national and – in some cases such as airlines – international.

•  Selectivity . Because the medium has so many sites at different locations or routes it is possible to select the ones most suitable for a campaign. Like the special positions in the press, or the time-of -the day segments on radio and TV, the costs of sites will relate to the volume of traffic.

•  Short-term campaigns . Short-term advertising is more possible with transportation than with outdoor advertising, as when exhibitions are advertised for only a week or two. Transportation is useful for local traders, cinemas and theatres that may change their posters every week.

•  A mobile medium . A special feature of buses, trams, taxis and trains is that as passengers change there is a cumulative audience who see the interior advertising, while exterior advertising is seen by yet another cumulative audience as the vehicle travels along its route. This is very different from the regular readership of various publications. While there is no control over who might see transportation advertising, it is likely to reach a large number of people repeatedly over a period.

Disadvantages of transportation advertising

•  On above ground and underground railway stations it is necessary to display sufficient posters for people to notice them and the same applies to roof cards since they appear in separate compartments of the train. On some routes it is possible that there are irregular volumes of passenger traffic and that at peak times when most people are travelling it is less easy to see advertisements in crowded compartments.

•  An advertisement rate may appear to be modest, but it will be expensive if the advertisement appears in empty compartments or on deserted platforms. Unfortunately, the same production costs apply whatever the size of the audience or the attention paid to the advertisement. ( Frank Jefkins, 1998)