Outdoor Advertising; The Oldest Profession?
Outdoor advertising is the same as indoor but has a rosier glow and is in better condition. And this is despite outdoor advertising being the oldest sort of media broadcasting around. The only method of advertising known to the ancients was the word of mouth. The merchant who had wares to offer brought them to the gate of a city and there cried aloud, making the worth of his goods known to those who were entering the city, and who might be induced to turn aside and purchase them. Right up to the day when Barnum billed the towns for his three-ringed circus, the evolution in advertising has been gradual, but it has been as great as that from the anthropoid ape to P. T. Barnum himself.
As soon as printed symbols were invented the ‘adman’ made use of them to give publicity to his merchandise. We find advertisements engraved on walls and tombs, written on parchment and papyrus, and printed by the first printing presses. Although these various forms of advertising were employed, but little thought and care seem to have been expended upon them. Posters, painted signs, street-car placards, booklets, calendars, almanacs, handbills, magazine and newspaper advertising have now become forms of advertising so well established that we look upon them as a necessity, and are surprised to learn that most of them are modern innovations.
Outdoor advertising is a staple of consumer campaigns for the last century and a half and it is defying the current economic downturn. In 2007 JCDecaux, the French company whose name is below so many poster sites, showed sales growth of almost 9 per cent - well ahead of the internet-powered 6 per cent global increase in ad spending.
Advertising in public spaces - on bins, bus stops and benches - seems immune to the audience fragmentation and online competition that has been dogging print and TV. After all, these are largely captive eyeballs: cities keep on growing and longer commutes mean that consumers spend more time out of the home. Innovations such as scrolling multiple boards and backlights have reinvigorated the appeal of simple billboards.
Outdoor advertising can be very expensive, because around 80 per cent of costs are fixed and projects are highly capital-intensive: Fitting out entire office block fascias with “Wonder-Bra” models is not cheap. Such a site at Birmingham’s Bullring will cost the advertiser at least £25,000 per month rental alone.
But outdoor advertising is for everybody who has something to bring to the attention of people around them and it doesn’t have to cost the earth either. If you are self-employed be sure to take your small sandwich board and put it on view wherever you work. Have your car or van painted in your company colours with the name and contact details on all sides. The sunscreen and visors of your car are your own personal advertising site be sure to raise your audience awareness with eye-catching outside advertising.
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