It's a bird, it's a plane.....no......it's a Billboard!
Billboards also known as out-of-home advertising as called by Clow and Baack 2016, have been around for a very long time. In fact, according to Apryl Duncan, (2018) author of the blog, What is Billboard Advertising, and Why Should You Use It? The Jewel in The Crown of Outdoor Advertising, states: “The name billboard is derived from the term 'billing board', and is a large outdoor advertising space designed to capture the attention of motorists and pedestrians. Typically placed around high traffic areas (both automotive and foot traffic), billboards are meant to be simple, striking, and creative. In fact, the creative department in any advertising agency still prizes the billboard space, as it is a golden opportunity to do groundbreaking, impactful work. “
It is the desire of any business to make an indelible mark of success in the community which houses them and since advertising has become a major source through which those businesses are known, billboards play a key role in doing this. It is my belief that billboards are one of the major arteries that helps the life blood of a company to work. Jay-Z the famous rap artist,supports this belief, when he stated: “what people have to understand is ‘Billboard’ is a magazine. They’re like elected officials - they work for us.”
Billboards can be seen as a loyal friend to a company’s brand, as they are always in the same place they left them and the same way they left them pointing onlookers in their direction. In Paul Sugget's blog ,10 Steps to Making a Great Billboard Ad-How to Create Effective Billboard Ads in Ten Steps, he lets one know immediately, that; "we are now in a time when consumers are no longer looking at billboards in the same way they did twenty or thirty years ago. While they may still be considered a premium advertising space, consumers are engrossed in their smart phones, tablets, and gaming systems. Eyes are down not up, for much of our lives. HOWEVER, that doesn't mean billboard advertising is to be discounted or ignored. Billboards are everywhere, and even though we remember just a handful, they can still have a powerful branding impact."
In a world where small business carry a huge percentage of the weight in providing jobs as according to Fliphound, where they state: “small businesses power the economy, 50% of the working population (120 million) work in small businesses. Millions of the 27.9 million small businesses in the U.S. are already advertising online and using digital advertising to build their brands and grow their businesses. Billboards can assist small firms by propelling them into the hearts and minds of potential customers that their budget may not otherwise be able to reach.?"
In an age of millennials, Gen X’ers and baby boomers, there's a billboard for almost everyone. One could use 3D billboards that allow the reader to interact with them, also ones that use exciting neon lights, and ones that even catch babies eyes. There is an old adage that says, don't throw out the old broom, because the old broom knows how to sweep. Let's not dismiss the relevance and value that billboards can and do afford us even in this present age.
Sources
Clow, K. E., & Baack, D (2016). Integrated Advertising, Promotion, and Marketing
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https://www.thebalance.com/what-is-outdoor-advertising-38452Links to an external site.?
https://www.thebalance.com/six-steps-to-making-a-great-billboardad-38479?utm_term=billboardLinks to an external site.
https://www.thebalance.com/what-is-billboard-advertising-and-why-should-you-use-it-38489Links to an external site.?
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