Benches and Billboards in Edson

Designing a Great Outdoor Ad

Layout

  • Make sure your ad has one large, dark element. It may be a heavy dark logo, shape or text.
  • Use a simple layout and avoid clutter. Help the reader’s eyes flow smoothly from the top left corner to the bottom right corner of your ad.
  • Strong branding: sometimes all you need is a logo and a picture, they will find you online
  • Simple Layout

Text

  • Make sure your headline is large, wide, and bold.
  • Never let your art work overwhelm the wording.
  • Don’t print words across/on top of a photograph or illustration.
  • Don’t waste words. Examine each word in your ad.  Is it necessary?  Does it help get your prospect to act now?  If it doesn’t help, it hurts.
  • Readable copy: avoid big words

Message

  • Single-Issue Focus
  • What is the single action you want them to do:
    • Call you while they drive?
    • Turn left?
    • Remember a website?
  • Tell people what they’ll lose if they don’t buy or stop (not what they will gain).
  • Tell your prospect exactly what you want him to do: “stay left”, “turn left at lights”, “call 723-xxxx”, etc
  • Short copy: Main message should be 6 words or less.
  • Humour is great, if you can get it across quickly in a few words.

Images

  • Images must be very high resolution in order to print on a billboard 12′ x 24′
  • Ideally the image will have some blank space for your text
  • Be aware of what is behind the billboard
    • Is it blue sky? stay away from light blue backgrounds
    • Is it forest? Stay away from dark green backgrounds

Color and Contrast

  • Bold, Appealing Colors
  • Remember RED IS A DARK COLOR. Don’t put red text on a dark background, or dark text on a red background.

A high color contrast factor will improve legibility. Here are the best combinations, ranked in order of legibility from a distance:


1. Black on Yellow


2. White on Black


3. Yellow on Black


4. Black on White


5. Blue on White


6. White on Blue


7. Blue on Yellow


8. Yellow on Blue


9. Green on White


10. White on Green


11. Red on White


12. White on Red


13. Red on Yellow


14. Yellow on Red

Distance and Visibility

Letter Height (Inches) Distance for Best Impact (Feet) Maximum Readable Distance (Feet)
3 30 100
4 40 150
6 60 200
8 80 350
9 90 400
10 100 450
12 120 525
15 150 630
18 180 750
24 240 1000
30 300 1250
36 360 1500

Here are 10 more Tips on Billboard Design