Marketing RIP Part IV: The Death of the Billboard

I completely forgot about this medium in eulogizing the death of traditional marketing. I guess I forgot because, well, I don’t see how you can avoid billboards – so I guess they are here to stay. Unless there are laws passed that prohibit….oh wait, here it is on Wikipedia (so it has to be true). Currently, four states – Vermont, Alaska, Hawaii and Maine – have prohibited billboards.

But if you’re lucky enough to live in the 46 states that allow billboards and you serve anyone who lives, works or worships along a major thoroughfare, consider this:

Seriously though, I do think a billboard advertisement can be effective. Here are 15 absolutely brilliant billboard ads.

The Dos and Dont’s of Billboard, Bus and Bench marketing:

• Don’t try to say too much and discourage readership.
• Don’t let your design suck.
• Do remember the math of billboards: 8, 9, one in three, and 27.

1. A person has about 8 seconds to react to your billboard.
2. It takes 9 impressions to get into people’s minds.
3. One in three times people aren’t paying attention to your billboard, so, they need to drive by your ad at least 27 times to get it.

I would love to see what credit unions are doing in this space. I don’t think this will die anytime soon.