Outdoor advertising can be a phenomenal way to draw attention to a brand, but if you want your billboard to attract potential customers, you’re going to have to do more than plunk down a standard high way ad.
While billboards are large, often eye catching and generally placed in high traffic areas, their ubiquity generally leaves them overlooked. Aside from kids and bored passengers, most people don’t take notice of them, and even if they do, keep in mind most ads are only seen for a few seconds.
So how do you get people to look twice? Here are some great examples, which in some cases push the definition of ‘billboard’:
Edgy Creativity
Artist Leo Burnett has created a rain-sensitive billboard for Max Factor csmetics. The rain sensitive billboard features beautiful woman with perfect eyelashes. However, in rainy weather, those eyelashes run mascara everyewhere. [More]
In this example of what I am calling “co-billboarding,” the Sports Illustrated Model is sucking a giant straw that links her billboard to the Dasani billboard. The campaign is genius execuation from Dasani and probably gets people talking about both ads. Somehow I think it’s a better win for Dasan… [More]
”Come a Little Closer,” cries this billboard for a Funeral Services company. Over at Stop Geek, their comment is, “How far will advertisers go?” If advertising is just the art of invoking response, they’ve done well… But I’m not sure how much consideration they’re going to trigger. [More]
What a creative billboard ad for blemished skin! The gigantic billboard features a cut out in the shape of skin pore, with a custodian giving it the clean sweep. It was done by Ogilvy & Mather for Pond’s Anti-Bacterial Facial Scrub. It was one of eight posted by InventorSpot who had gathered seve… [More]
An amazing example of innovative communication design, this billboard by New Zealand’s Clemenger BBDO won a Bronze Lion at this year’s Cannes. The billboard uses over 12,000 aluminum pegs on a white background to to create images using the sun instead of conventionally printed media. When there is n… [More]
The new BBC advertising campaign, “Show Both Sides of the Story,” does just that. The angle: get corner billboard space everywhere and juxtapose news on each corner. Credits BBDO New York Bill Bruce (Chief Creative Officer) David Lubars (Chief Creative Officer) Eric Silver (Executive Creative Di… [More]
This is a brilliant and unusual campaign to promote Israeli Pessek Zman chocolate bar (which means Time Out in Hebrew) that wittingly expresses the brand’s idea and slogan to “take a time out”. The campaign uses posters that look like regular fashion ads, however the fashion models are missi… [More]
Oh, how I love creative subtle advertising like this PLAYB0Y outdoors billboard in Germany. The challenge was to create a billboard that makes men aware of PLAYB0Y in a subtle unusual way using the idea of “PLAY, BOY!” without using nudity. The Philipp und Keuntje ad agency, Hamburg, Germany came … [More]
When I visited Beirut, Lebanon a few years ago I was blown away by the beauty of its coast and its infamous sea-side cliffs. This creative billboard campain for Koleston Naturals utilizes this natural beauty to illustrate the fact that this women’s hair dye is made from natural ingredients. The bi… [More]
Most of the time, people don’t pay much attention to bus stop ads, but every once in a while, there are ads so clever, you can’t help but be captivated by them. This interactive bus stop billboard from Johnson & Johnson, for example is a real head turner. To grab your intitial attention, there is … [More]
McDonald’s has been on a roll with some very creative campaigns recently. The latest is an outdoor billboard that invites you to “sort your head out” with their 1 Euro large coffee. The billboard is actually a puzzle that allows you to shuffle the pieces around to sort out the model’s head. The em… [More]
You need more ads in your life, and your cellphone is a blank canvas just begging for marketing dollars. In fact, one marketing professor, Fareena Sultan, notes, “We’re calling the phone ‘the brand in your hand’—you’re never more than a foot away from it, 24 hours a day.” Don’t worry, there mig… [More]
Motomedia have devised a way to help compensate for lost rent while brightening up neighbourhoods when a store closes. The streetlevelBILLBOARDS can be fitted into otherwise empty display windows while incorporating technological eye-candy. The billboards are rear-projection screens presenting anima… [More]
A billboard in LA and New York has gained a lot of attention and buzz recently. The billboard reads: ‘Hi Steven, Do I have your attention now? I know all about her, you dirty, sneaky, immoral, unfaithful, poorly-endowed slimeball. Everything’s caught on tape. Your (soon-to-be-ex). P.S. I paid fo… [More]
Believe it or not, this is our fourth article on innovative urinal advertising! In January, we covered Interactive Urinal Advertising, Heat Activiated Urinal Billboards, and Urinal Video Games. Now, a less shocking form of porta potty advertising is changing the way marketers look at the toilet. … [More]
Google has come up with a brilliant outdoor guerrilla campaign for Google Video using see-through billboards. The message is that Google Video gives you a realistic experience, as if you are seeing real people and scenes right in-front of you. The see-through billboards, which were installed in Ger… [More]
Billboardom is a great site for checking out the latest outdoor marketing efforts, highlighting the world’s most creative, interesting, bizarre, outrageous or even offensive billboards. Contributions are international and frequent, so those interested in marketing, or simply intrigued by the peculia… [More]
Quitplan.com is a free quit smoking support program. The program’s web site states it has prolonged their members lives by 4,630 years and saved them $39,235,656. The company recently put up this billboard located on Interstate 94 near Rogers, Minnesota. [More]
According to a recent patent filing, Google is planning an expansion into the physical advertising space. Specifically, they are planning to start advertising on billboards which would be connected to the internet! The patent is based on the interactive connection (because google isn’t going to ma… [More]
Chicago attourney Corri Fetman has created quite a stir with her billboards that exclaims, “Life’s Short. Get A Divorce” betwixt two hot-bodied models. What makes the ad different from most legal advertisements, is that in this case, the ads actually encourage divorce. Fetman defends her billboard… [More]
The World’s first chocolate billboard was unveiled in Covent Garden Plaza, London. Made for Thornton’s - the the news of the chocolate billboard is literally hot off the press - hence the press photographer is in the way! UPDATE: All 60 stone of the billboard were eaten by the public in three hou… [More]
This April Fools watch out for Jokers, they’re everywhere!! If you live in turkey and you pass by this Billboard Ad Created by Isbank don’t be fooled, because the police car hiding behind the billboard is a fake. It makes the passer by decelerate and read the text on the board which is “Pay your… [More]
London agency, The Partners have developed a rather interesting campaign for The National Gallery entitled `The Grand Tour’. The objective was to bring art to the streets of London in everyday places where people pass by every day to encourage more visitors to the gallery. HP have printed and placed… [More]
How long would it take you to shear your lawn with your razor blade? Impossible, right? With your shaver, probably, but hey, if you had a Bic, maybe not! This creative “Grass Cutter” Billboard for Bic razors is an awesome example of guerrilla marketing. The only issue with something like this is ge… [More]
Bathroom advertising is big, but now you can urinate on the advertisement and it reveals the ad. That’s the heat activated urinal billboard in a nut shell. It’s interactive urinal advertising at its best. From the IsoOceania Product Page The world of “Interactive” Urinal Advertising is endless…… [More]
As a companion to their editorial-style print ads, Prime TV collaborated with DRAFTFCB ad agency, Auckland on a naughty outdoor billboard campaign for the British TV show Secret Diary of a Call Girl. Just like the subtle editorial ads, the billboards seem innocent at first, showing a formally dress… [More]
Controversial Billboards
As Milan fashion week begins, fashion brand Nolita has released an advertisement depicting a naked anorexic woman to highlight the effects of the illness. Written above the photo of the woman are the words: “No Anorexia”. The photograph was shot by the controversial Italian photographer Oliviero To… [More]
We know sex can be used to sell almost everything, we also know alcohol and sex often go hand in hand. That being said, I am still amazed by the blatant sexualization of recent alcohol campaigns. I guess my surprise stems from the fact that the risqué “rebirth of luxury” ads for Polish vodka brand… [More]
On July 1, people passing through New York’s Times Square will be exposed to giant smiling asses. Toto Washlet has bought advertising space on a two-story, three sided billboard to promote their toilets, bidets and dryers to America. While their products are big in Europe I’m not sure how smiling as… [More]
A Hooters billboard in Clearwater that read “Liquor in Clearwater, Poker in Vegas” definitely got some attention, but not the right kind. Mayor Frank Hibbard came across this innuendo coming home from church a couple weeks ago and did not think that it was an appropriate representation of his town. … [More]
30 gratuitous billboards depicting abduction, torture and murder of kidnapping victims in Elisha Cuthbert’s latest movie, ‘Captivity’ have censors and concerned citizens in an uproar at the shocking content of these ads. [More]
Disney just cannot catch a break these days! Hot on the heels of the recent Miley Cyrus Vanity Fair drama comes news of this racy Disney billboard in Beijing. The billboard shows a girl that looks about 10 or 11 years old in skimpy underwear playing with Minnie Mouse hand puppets. While not explici… [More]
Kill Bill was a particularly bloody film. The pulp fiction, two-installment movie directed by Quentin Tarantino and starring Uma Thurman as a Samurai sword-wielding killer out for vengeance, is showcased in a rather vivid, interactive Saatchi & Saatchi billboard in New Zealand. The daring ad shows … [More]
Maryland has launched an ‘EXILE program’ in which they are featuring actual convicted criminals on billboards. The purpose is to make jail seem more real and better portray the consequences of criminal actions. Steve Hall at Ad Rants points out the potential adverse impact of such a campaign: “Wan… [More]
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has launched a new ad campaign to raise awareness for sexual harassment. A series of three ads will run on posters around Boston, including on 900 billboards. With slogans like, “Rub against me, and I’ll expose you,” the campaign is intended to empow… [More]
Former Miss Universe Australia, Erin McNaught, has been featured in a series of billboard ads that promote a pretty naughty message. The advertising campaign, which is also running in print media and on liquor store posters, features captions like, “She loves a cockatoo,” “Who’s a cheeky girl then… [More]
These concept ads related to child-protection are very disturbing. But so is the subject matter. Domestic violence is a serious issue that can leave a child scarred for life. This ad campaign, with realistic looking blood, drives the point home. The child protection agencies are intended to shield… [More]
Eco Billboards
This new advertising approach has helped boost the environmental credibility of the Northwest Wirral area. The billboards are entirely plant-based, “made from a living, growing hedge of native willow trees.” “The Green Billboard has been planted at Birkenhead’s new community woodland in Bidston … [More]
Carlsberg has managed to create some pretty fantastic ads; we’ve featured several on Trend Hunter, and all are ultra creative. For their latest billboard ads in Belgium, they’ve created signs out the brand’s real beer bottles making for some ferociously green advertisement! It was created to promo… [More]
South Africa’s NEDBank won a Cannes Lions 2007 Grand Prix Award in outdoor advertising for what is believed to be the world’s first solar-powered billboard. The topper? This revolutionary billboard uses the power it generates to power the kitchen of a local school - helping prepare food for 1100 kid… [More]
Solar-powered, as in, with a solar battery? Or solar powered, as in, “respecting celestial mechanics” (like a sundial). You decide. But we know one thing for sure: WWF’s latest billboard warning about ocean levels rising brings the point home dramatically. Some assumed that the board is powered b… [More]
DDB Canada has created an illuminated billboard powered by 120 volunteer bicycle riding pedalers. Each pedaler generates enough electricity to power the illuminated reindeer. For each hour the reindeer was powered up, BC Hydro made a donation to the Canadian Association of Food Banks. [More]
Denver Water has created a very innovative ad campaign that uses just a portion of each ad medium. In these two examples, you can see just a portion of a billboard and a portion of a park bench. I like it. The campaign was created by Sukie. [More]
Architecture Billboards
No one could get bored of this architectural concept—it’s a home on a billboard! The rectangular Aeroform pod capsule situated behind the roadside advertisement makes use of potential living above ground. The Aeroform was designed by Brendan O’Grady who won in the Ken Roberts Memorial Delineati… [More]
It’s like… a billboard that you can live in! A new housing concept called Single Hauz by an architectural firm in Poland proposes cantilevering domestic living space from a central mast. Basically the design makes it easy to balance on top of a pole, which can be driven into a lake, sea, or the si… [More]
When I wrote about the now closed Berlin one-room billboard hotel in December 2007, I considered it more of an art project or experiment than a place people would actually sleep. In March 2008, however, a friend of mine actually slept in it. On the corner of Kommandantenstrasse and Neue Gruenstra… [More]
Where?
Located on Death Strip, the piece of land along the former Berlin Wall where people used to be shot and now a waste land dedicated to sculptures, French artist Etienne Boulanger formed a one room hotel between billboards. It definitely is a Room without a View. A night costs a mere Euro 20.- … [More]
Living Billboards
In what might be the best billboard ever, Adidas brings vertical soccer to life. The game is played when soccer players are suspended from cables on a billboard. Then, one on one vertical soccer ensues.… [More]
Although boobs are probably the number one used body part in advertising, the ass does get its fair share of attention as well. It even has its own “assvertising” ad gimmick name. Here we bring you five billboard ads utilizing the ass to sell various products, from jeans and clothes to gym membersh… [More]
There seems to be a rising trend in bodytising. We’ve already covered a number of bodytising trends at Trend Hunter, and there are dozens more examples on the net. “Could eBay be the focus for another trend? If this “body-advertising” phenomenon continues to build momentum, it just might. First ca… [More]
I am still not sure if this is disgusting or charitable. I first heard about the concept when a NYC pizza parlour gave homeless people coats that had the pizza company’s logo embroidered on the back. That made sense. But how far will it go? PokerFaceBook.com has been using the concept throughout… [More]
This unique growing outdoor billboard by Leo Burnett, which promotes McDonald’s health-conscious menu items, just won a Gold at New York Festivals’ Innovative Advertising Awards. The garden bill… [More]
Sheep and cows, what’s next? Advertisers continue to utilize farm animals to display ads in fields. This time it’s for a Dutch Environmental campaign to protect Groene Hart. It’s an area in the west of the Netherlands between Amsterdam and Utredht. The campaign is to protect the land from indus… [More]
Mobile Billboards
We see trucks with advertisements on them all the time, but most don’t get a second look. These trucks, however, are so clever, creating illusions that force the eye to look back at least once more. Trucks are essentially mobile billboards, and by creating campaigns that draws attention, truckvertis… [More]
Get a free car just for whoring yourself to the wonderful world of advertising! OR earn a little extra income just for sporting a logo on your car! Trend Hunter covered paid vehicle advertising back in 2005, but the concept is starting to gain momentum. For example, FreeCar Media now claims to ha… [More]f
This license plate frame has a programmable scrolling LED screen so you can communicate to fellow drivers. [More]
Rooftop banners for your car! Why not adorn your vehicles with corporate banners and get paid doing it. In addition to being used for advertising, many of the banners are being sold to sport fans who want to advertise their allegiance. The company, Big Top Banners, has already introduced several on… [More]
Want to make a huge impact? Reach new heights in marketing? What could be better than advertising on an enormous flying billboard? Being able to reach customers all over the world? Advertising on airplanes is being utilized by several global companies, letting them literally soar above their competi… [More]
Given that US airlines are currently seeking additional revenue from nearly any source imaginable, perhaps it was inevitable that soon six commercial airliners operated by Allegiant Air will be wrapped in advertising messages. InterAir Media, the company that came up with the (Innovative? Outrageous… [More]
First, we brought you Assvertising. Then we brought you bumvertising. Now, it’s all about sheepvertising. Advertising on your sheep. It’s perfect. [More]
Eye Level Marketing, a division of the Billboard Clothing Company, is placing giant ads on employee uniforms. Given the potential to scrape together extra revenue from the deal, you can expect this to become a new medium. Plus, companies can push their own products on their clothing. Potential ve… [More]
Tech Billboards
A Los Angeles real estate mogul plans to build animated billboards in LA modeled after the huge billboards in the cult classic film of the 1980’s Blade Runner. Sonny Astani, who says he has seen the movie about five times, plans two build two 14-story LED digital billboards that will mimic the monst… [More]
In a global billboard campaign by AEG-Electrolux for Noise Awareness, AEG has installed billboards with built in decibel meters so that passerbys can see the noise level. The boards have been installed in major European cities like London, Madrid, Berlin and Milan. However there were some interestin… [More]
If you love shopping, and you own a phone, you’ll flip for this trend! Forget going to stores or even shopping online, now you can shop straight from the billboards thanks to a hi-tech new campaign. Just snap a photo of the Semacode on the latest H&M;ads, and you’ll have full access to their fashion… [More]
To promote popular reality show Big Brother 2008 on Channel TEN in Australia, advertising agency Marketforce in Perth came up with a unique bluetooth SMS campaign that really caught people by surprise.… [More]
Imagine seeing yourself on a billboard in Times Square, lit up on one of the most famous streets of the world. You don’t have to be a model or a celebrity for it to be possible anymore! Thanks to “I in the Sky,” a new public art project, anyone can step inside a designated photo booth to have their… [More]
Graffiti Research Lab’s Laser tag system brings ‘Tagging’ out of a can and into the high-tech world we live in. GRL unleashed their system in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and is encouraging surrounding artists to get learn about this high-tech tagging machine. GRL is even offering a ‘How-To’ on… [More]
This is the latest innovation from Mini USA is the use of advanced technology to communicate directly between MINI owners and the “Motorby” billboards. [More]
CBS is promoting its new lineup using bluetooth billboards that beam trailers to your mobilte phone. Sweet. “New York’s Grand Central Station will host Bluetooth-enabled billboards that beam show clips and trailers to people’s mobiles and PDAs. The five prime-time shows to be promoted this way… [More]
This summer, the Skol Beats concert series will feature a plethora of new technology to push the brand. These innovations include: an enormous audio visualization tool (the size of a building), billboards that let you broadcast SMS text messages to your friends, and official concert ringtones that … [More]
Bianca Bartz
Edit
Rain Sensistive Billboard
Co-Billboarding - Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model Sucks Giant Straw Hooked Up to Dasani Ad
Funeral Home Ad Encourages Passengers to “Come a Little Closer”
Creative Anti-Blemish Ads - Peel-Off Zits & Cellulite You Can Pop (GALLERY)
Billboard of Pegs That Only Works When the Sun is Out
Cornervertising - BBC Ads Show Both Sides of the Story (GALLERY)
Cut Out Model Billboards - Pessek Zman Chocolate Ads (GALLERY)
Creative PLAYB0Y Billboard - PLAY, BOY!
Creative Billboards - Koleston Naturals Uses Nature (GALLERY)
Interactive Bus Stop Ads - Crank Up the Bikini Model’s Tan
Puzzle Billboards - McDonald’s Sort Your Head Out Campaign (GALLERY)
Cellphone Billboards
Empty Store Front Media Ads - Motomedia StreetlevelBILLBOARDS (VIDEO)
Viral Billboards - Angry Spouse Gets Even OR Mystery Ad?
Porta Potty Advertising
See-Through Billboards - Google Video Campaign (VIDEO)
Billboardom - Site Dedicated to Edgy Billboards (GALLERY)
Butting Out - Giant Billboard Gets Attention
Google Billboards - Google Plans Street Advertising
‘Life’s Short. Get A Divorce’ - Edgy Billboard Encourages Divorce
World’s First Chocolate Billboard
Fake Police Car Behind Billboard - IsBank Ad Gets Your Attention
Framed Paintings as Billboards? - ‘The Grand Tour’ Brings Art to the Street (GALLERY)
Lawn Shaving - Bic Razor Campaign
Heat Activated Urinal Billboard - Interactive Urinal Advertising
Wind-Sensitive Billboards - Skirt Lifts on Secret Diary of a Call Girl (GALLERY)
Anorexia Billboard Shocks Milan Fashion Week
Provocative Billboards - Belvedere Ads Too Racy? (GALLERY)
Ass Billboard - European Toilet Company Promotes Their Products
Hooters Billboard Ordered To Be Changed
Shock Advertising - Elisha Cuthbert Depicted In Gratuitous ‘Captivity’ Billboards
Controversial Billboards - Disney Ad Shows Little Girl in Lingerie
Blood-Splatter Billboards - Kill Bill for TV2
Real Criminals on Billboards
Anti-Grope Ads - 900 BMTA Billboards Against Molesters
Naughty Billboards - Miss Universe Wants a Cockatoo (GALLERY)
Youth Shockvertising II - CONCEPT ‘Don’t Lose Control’ Child Abuse Ad (GALLERY)
World’s First Green Billboard - Sustainable Ads
Billboards out of Bottles - Carlsberg Ad Promotes New Bottles
Solar Empowering Billboard - NEDBank Billboard Lights Up School Kitchen (VIDEO)
WWF’s Solar Powered Billboard Warns About Global Warming (VIDEO)
Pedaler Powered Billboard - 120 Volunteers Charge Campaign
Use Only What You Need - Denver Water Convservation Campaign
Living in a Billboard - Aeroform Homes
Life On A Stick - Space-Saving Polish Homes (GALLERY)
Billboard Hotels (REVIEW) - Etienne Boulanger Pod Hotel in Berlin (GALLERY)
Single Room Hotel Between Billboards - Etienne Boulanger Pod Hotel in Berlin (VIDEO)
Vertical Soccer - Adidas Billboard Comes to Life
Billboard Assvertising - 5 Examples (GALLERY)
Bodytising - You Could Be a Human Billboard
Bumvertising - Using The Homeless as Billboards
Billboards Made of Lettuce - McDonald’s Growing Fresh Salads Ad (VIDEO)
First Sheepvertising now Cowvertising
Truckvertising - Clever Campaigns on Wheels (GALLERY)
Free Cars (With Billboards) - Paid Vehicle Advertising
License Plate Billboard
Vehicle Rooftops Being Used as Mini Billboards
Planevertising - Jet-Fueled Billboards
Aerial Billboards. How effective will they be?
Sheepvertising
Walking Billboards - Employee Uniforms Become an Ad Medium
Animated Digital Billboards - LED Blade Runner-Style Ads in LA
Noise Awareness Billboards - AEG Eloectrolux Advertises The Decibel Level (GALLERY)
Shop Via Print Ads - H&M;Semacode (GALLERY)
Anonymous Texts at Bus Stops - Big Brother’s Creepy Bluetooth Campaign (GALLERY)
You on a Times Square Billboard - I in the Sky Public Art Project (GALLERY)
L.A.S.E.R. Tag - Laser Makes Every Building A Billboard (VIDEO)
MINI Motorby Billboards - Billboards that Talk Directly to Mini Owners
Bluetooth Billboards the Beam Trailers to Your Phone
High Tech Branding at Skol Beats Outdoor Concert Series
Swesome indeed. Great collection, Bianca!
Kick ass, indeed. But then, I have a weakness for any list that combines sheepvertising, vertical soccer and laser graffiti.
Favorited by Jeremy Gutsche on Jun 16, 08
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