Why Outdoor Advertising Needs Video Production

You may see this headline and think, “Isn’t outdoor advertising just billboards? Why would a billboard need video?” Just like so many other mediums, outdoor advertising is going digital. Billboards are so much more than the simple, flat signs that stoically line the sky as you zoom by on the highway. Plus, going digital means more opportunities for your marketing needs. That is, as long as you have the right people helping you through this constantly-changing process.

Billboards 101

Billboards as we know them began as small signs promoting local businesses. Their main goal was simple: instantly captivate passersby. These signs were designed to get people immediately in the store and purchase something.

Some of today’s billboards still keep things local, but overall their impacts are far-reaching. I-75 is lined with just as many billboards promoting Atlanta business as there are ones sporting international brands. Moreover, billboards are industry agnostic. Brands from all across the market continuum utilize the eye-grabbing power of outdoor advertising. Consumer products, services for sale, special events, you name it! Billboards engage audiences in a strategic ways that are proven to drive results. Why else would billboards still be a key component of so many major marketing campaigns?

However, the key difference in today’s outdoor advertising is all about strategy. Billboard content and location are carefully selected based on a combination of elements, all aimed toward you reaching your ideal audience. Where is your billboard located? What’s the demographic of the area’s are of the traffic? How many impressions will it make per day? You get the idea. All these factors play a part in ensuring the highest return on your outdoor advertising investment. Deciding to use billboard advertising means targeting your audience in a big way, literally; as such, you want to be sure the right people are getting your message.

The digital shift

While static print billboards are still a viable means of outdoor advertising, the shift to digital is imminent. Digital billboards offer compelling features that traditional billboards don’t have. Arguably the most powerful update is the ability to alter your message in real-time. You no longer have to set your message in stone; going digital gives you flexibility.

For example, if your business is counting down days to a special event or sale, each day your digital billboard could count down with you. If you own an all-day restaurant and want to run a separate ad for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, your digital billboard could adjust throughout the day.

Most digital billboards rotate through more than one ad. While this helps cut outdoor placement costs, it decreases your runtime per cycle. That means your ad needs to pop while clearly and concisely presenting your advertising message to a quickly-moving audience. It’s no small task, but when done right it’s incredibly effective.

Finding the right billboard

Whether traditional or digital, finding the right billboard is challenging. The best thing to do is partner with someone who understands the business of billboards, who will make sure you end up in the best location to achieve your business goals.

At Effortless Outdoor Media (EOM), they take a two-prong approach to reaching your needs in outdoor advertising. First, they meet with you to learn more about your company and why you’re interested in outdoor advertising. By getting to know you, they’re able to accurately assess what you’ll need to meet your marketing goals. They then take this information and track down the best billboard options.

“The secret,” says Bill Hobbs at EOM, “is to go and visit a billboard site before you buy the space.” Photos of billboards can be misleading, and the picture’s angle could eschew negative aspects of a billboard. Trees and other obstructions that make the billboard hard to see from the road are often “surprisingly” omitted from photos. Additionally, a photo can’t show you how far away a billboard is from the road. If it’s too far, nobody will see it, no matter how well it’s designed. Partnering with a trusted leader in outdoor advertising such as EOM provides you with that extra boost to get the highest return on your advertising investment.

Integrating a billboard into your video production project

Because visual design is everything in a billboard, enlisting a creative company comfortable working in a variety of digital formats is highly beneficial. The talented graphics and animation team at ECG Productions can easily translate your marketing message onto a billboard. Ensuring your message stays on brand while captivating your target audience is the key priority for us as we help you through the process of creating a billboard ad.

Contact ECG Productions today in order to get started on building your outdoor advertising campaign.