There’s no place like…out-of-home to advertise a brand or convey a message to the masses. Out-of-home (OOH) advertising is the oldest form of mass marketing. Of the many types of outdoor advertising, billboards are one of the most effective ways for companies to get their message to consumers. The term billboard itself, describes an array of outdoor advertising outlets including posters, bulletins and digitals.

Out-of-Home Advertising, Broken Down

Personally, when I hear the word “poster” my mind wanders back to the Jonathan Taylor Thomas photo that hung in my room as a young girl. Until starting my career here at Matrix Media Services, I had no idea a poster in the ad world is actually a useful out-of-home media tool. Companies use posters in a variety of forms; Eco Posts, 30-sheets and 8-sheet, also known as junior posters, to reach commuter and pedestrian traffic. Eco Posters and 30-sheet posters measure 10’5” by 22’8” and have recently made the widespread switch to Eco Flex in lieu of the former 30-sheet paper production.  Not only are eco flex posters better for the environment, they are also easier to install.

Junior posters measure 5’ X 11’ and because of their smaller size, are often utilized to reach resident and pedestrian traffic. Posters are typically used for campaigns with shorter terms or repeated creative changes.

Companies interested in reaching vehicular traffic will frequently turn to bulletins, which are large enough to be seen from major highways.  Bulletins most commonly measure 14’x48’ but they can also stand at 10’x40’ and 10’6”x36’.  Advertisers can market bulletins in two ways; the first of which is called a rotary campaign, meaning its location changes throughout a contracted term. Rotary bulletins are usually purchased in multi-month contracts and move to a new location every 60 to 90 days. An advertiser may decide to use a rotary campaign to gain broad market coverage. An additional way to market a bulletin is by permanent placement, which means the ad will remain in one location. Usually permanent bulletins are contracted for an annual term of 12 months or 13 four-week periods and can be used to target specific demographics or retail and restaurant locations.

As Barney Stinson would say,  “New is always better.”  Many people would agree with him, which is perhaps why digital billboards are making such a splash in the outdoor advertising industry. Digitals are the new generation of billboards and are becoming one of the most popular ways to reach large audiences. Digital billboards add a new level of flexibility to OOH media. Companies can now display multiple messages and change creative in an instant at no additional cost, which is one of the reasons why digitals are predicted to become the standard of future billboard advertising.

Posters, bulletins and digital billboards each offer a unique opportunity to reach consumers.  One thing they all have in common: they can help a brand become legen…wait for it…dary.

–Sara Gentry, Media Buyer, a fan of early ‘90s music & every John Hughes movie ever made.