Here at Matrix Media Services, we specialize in the oldest media on earth, outdoor advertising. There is a variety of out-of-home media that make up the OOH industry. Traditionally, out-of-home ads encompassed anything outdoors. For the most part, this generalization remains true. The only real difference between today’s out-of-home market and the outdoor market that existed ten years ago is the addition of OOH guerrilla advertising (Chalk Art, Wild Posters, Street Decals, etc.).

The Basics of Outdoor Advertising

Traditional outdoor includes bulletins, posters, wallscapes and spectaculars.

Bulletins work best for long term campaigns and typically measure 14 by 48 foot. Bulletins are often capable of accommodating extensions to existing structures. When taking advantage of these cut-outs there are guidelines in place as to how large those additions can be. These guidelines often vary per market. (See also Trivision Billboard)

Poster panels are smaller than bulletins, measuring 10’5″ by 22’8″ and can be produced on paper or eco flex. (For more information on eco flex visit our previous blog.) Posters are typically less costly than bulletins, and are utilized for short term or rotary campaigns.

The smallest OOH structure is often refered to as junior panels or 8-sheets. These posters are generally 5 by 11 foot and are typically placed in urban areas where they are visible to both pedestrians and vehicular traffic.

A Wallscape is significantly larger than traditional outdoor. Rather than vinyl being posted on an outdoor structure, wallscapes are placed on the side of large buildings with clear reads to traffic. This form of out-of-home is used for impact and the “ahh” factor. Due to the cost of production, these campaigns are typically long term.

Spectaculars are large signs and traditionally referred to structures that included animation and elaborate graphics (think Time Square, Las Vegas, Tokyo, Atlanta, Los Angeles). More recently the term spectacular is also used when referring to wallscapes and bulletins larger than 14 by 48 foot.

Why Use Out-Of-Home Advertising?

• Target Flexibility: Outdoor allows for specific geographic targets nationally, regionally or locally. You also have demographic flexibility in altering your message to target areas where your target demographic dominates.
• Cost: Out-of-home media has one of the lowest costs per message in advertising. While costs do differ per market, out-of-home media does not demand the high production budgets of film. Highly cost effective, outdoor advertising has secured it’s place in OOH time and time again.
• Accessibility: OOH houses your message 24/7. It cannot be skipped, fast forwarded or turned off.
• Reach & Frequency: Outdoor advertising delivers a larger reach than spot TV, newspaper and magazines. Each audiences member often sees the same copy many times, increasing a campaigns overall impressions and aiding in recall.
• Creative Flexibility: Out-of-home presents a large canvas on which you can display your message. Using the right creative in the right location can take an ordinary creative and turn it into an extraordinary campaign. When OOH creative and placement combine in a way people are not expecting, they talk. Word of mouth has been the cause of national exposure for many recent campaigns. (See Danny, the homeless man on a billboard blog and the Chemical Bank OBIE award winning campaign, also featured in a past blog.)