Outdoor advertising is visual storytelling. When created successfully, out-of-home (OOH) and digital out-of-home (DOOH) ads can transform the visual landscape of a city. An effective outdoor ad grabs the viewer’s attention and makes a lasting impression that will stay with them long after they have driven or walked by your ad.

When designing for out-of-home advertising and digital out-of-home advertising, remember these 5 essential design tips to create effective outdoor ads:

1. Keep It Simple

Less is more. OOH and DOOH ads should be straightforward and to the point. Ideally your design should focus on one compelling idea and consist of 3 main elements:

✔ a carefully chosen graphic or photo
✔ a brief and unique line of copy that highlights your product, service or company
✔ your company name, logo, and contact information

Quick Tip: Remember the Rule of 7. Keep copy length to 7 words or less, and make sure your ad can be read and understood in less than 7 seconds.

2. Show, Don’t Tell

Viewers identify with ads that show the product or service that’s being advertised. Use evocative and compelling imagery (graphics or photos) to motivate viewer recall. If your ad’s graphic concept is text-based, play with font size, style and color to make a positive and lasting impression on the viewer.

Quick Tip: Viewer recall is essential in measuring the success of OOH and DOOH advertising.

3. Use Contrasting Colors

Bright, saturated colors work better for outdoor ad design than low contrast colors. Using high contrast colors will increase the readability of your overall design at any viewing distance. Keep in mind that certain colors and color combinations evoke specific ideas or emotions, so choose your color palette carefully to best support your advertised product.

This chart ranks the 14 most visible color combinations, with 1 being the most legible.

4. Bigger is Better

Large and bold texts make it easier for viewers to read and comprehend your message from a distance. Larger text not only increases readability, but also adds vigor to your message.

5. Use Legible Fonts

Be sure to choose font types that are easily read from varying distances. Fonts with thin strokes or elaborate scripts are often difficult to read. To enhance visibility, make sure to have adequate spacing between letters, words and lines of copy.

Quick Tip: Use of upper and lowercase characters is typically easier to read than ALL CAPS.

Written by: Alexis McCrimmon, Multimedia Marketing Manager