Design Tips

Successfully created outdoor ads can become a part of any city’s visual landscape. Learn the simple rules to designing the most effective ads, the creative possibilities that sets outdoor ads apart from other media, and how you can take advantage of our complimentary creative services, available to all Lamar customers.

Coors Light Billboard over traffic on the highway at sunset

Design Tips for Effective Out of
Home Advertising

Lamar’s designers share their simple tips for creating effective billboard, transit and airport advertising designs and optimizing your message for Out of Home. Keep these basic principles in mind as your campaign and advertising creative begins to take shape.

Keep it Simple

Out of Home ads are often viewed in a matter of seconds. Messaging should be very concise and to-the-point. Simple messages get a better response. Tell your story with strong visuals and position your elements using hierarchy, drawing interest to what is most important. Because Out of Home audiences are typically mobile, exposure time is typically four to five seconds. So say it loud and say it clear, but say it in seven words or less.

Lamar Advertising and Gold's Gym static bulletin with someone weightlifting

Keep it Simple

Contrast and Visibility

Research demonstrates that high-color contrast can improve outdoor advertising recall by 38%. Choose colors that play well together, making them easy to read from varying distances. Select fonts that will be legible from a distance. Avoid intricate fonts and weights that are overly bold or thin. Adequate spacing between letters, words and lines will enhance visibility. Words with both upper and lower case characters are generally easier to read than all uppercase.

Lamar Advertising and UTRGV static bulletin for Texas

Contrast and Visibility

Be Memorable

In today’s world, overcrowding a design with contact information is not necessary. It’s more important to create an eye-catching design that intrigues the viewer and compels them to remember the brand or business. When the ad is memorable, viewers can take action at any point and use mobile devices to locate contact information.

Lamar Advertising and Tallahassee Memorial three dimensional (3d) bulletin

Be Memorable

Use the Environment

Every day, creative individuals are discovering new ways to incorporate the environment around an advertising structure into the design of a campaign. In this way, Out of Home is unique and unforgettable. Get Inspired by reviewing past designs that have incorporated elements from the surrounding landscape, such as buildings, into their creative concepts.

Lamar Advertising and Idaho Beef Council burger poster

Use the Environment

Extensions & Three-Dimensional Embellishments

The ability to break the physical boundaries of an advertising space is yet another unique feature of Out of Home. Lamar offers several ways to make your outdoor advertising campaign even more impactful with embellishments. Extensions, 3D props, lighting effects, and more will make your ad stand out in a more memorable way. Consider adding extensions and three-dimensional options to your design.

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Extensions & Three-Dimensional Embellishments

Our team of 100+ designers offer complimentary design services for local, regional and national campaigns. If you’d like to take advantage of this service, contact your Lamar representative today.

Want to see how your ad will look on a billboard?

The OAAA's Mockup Generator Tool allows you to view billboard, street furniture and transit creative in a simulated environment. Once you have uploaded your creative, you will be able to zoom in and out to see the work at a range of distances, simulating a drive-by experience. Use the tool to test your creative prowess prior to executing a campaign. Once you see the simulation, you can make adjustments as needed. Visit the Outdoor Advertising Mockup Generator Tool to get started.

Try it
OAAA's Mockup Generator Tool

Want to see how your ad will look on a billboard?