The Keys to Effective Billboard Design

For the month of October, Weise’s blog series will center on several facets of creative design. These topics will range from tips for creating original and memorable logos to basic business card design principles. With all four of this month’s posts, we hope to provide our readers with helpful, efficiency-boosting information.

This week, our focus is on billboard layout design. As with all outdoor advertisements, the heart of billboard ad planning needs to be cognizant of the fact that the ad has a considerably limited period of time – less than 10 seconds – to catch the reader’s attention and convey its message. Therefore, a layout that supports readability in this particularly challenging environment is paramount. The following tips revolve around this very point.

Make it clear and simple.

Considering the above-mentioned exposure time of 10 seconds or less, clarity is key. The way to keep it clear is to make it simple. This usually means your billboard should contain a relatively small amount of words. The customary rule is to use around seven to ten words (excluding your logo or company name). The text itself should be large enough to be seen at a substantial distance.

Color choices.

In terms of readability, the colors you choose to occupy your billboard are hugely critical. Colors should contrast each other. The last thing you want is for your text to blend in with the background. Using colors that contrast will allow the billboard to really take hold of your viewers. Colors that surround the billboard in its displayed location should also be considered. For instance, whether it stands in front of a red building, a blue sky or a prominently green wooded area will greatly influence the colors you make use of in the ad itself.

Dynamic imagery.

An advertisement with limited words needs to employ imagery that successfully communicates the main idea. Similar to the ad’s text, the image needs to be clear and to the point. Keeping in line with the above point, be sure the featured image stands out from the background. Also take into account the time of year your billboard will be on display to ensure your images are appropriate and in sync with the season.

Logo placement.

A billboard is yet another opportunity to broadcast your brand. Accordingly, the company’s logo should be prominently featured on the billboard in a way that it is noticeable without interfering with the message being delivered.

Are you interested in adding outdoor advertising to your marketing plan? Contact Weise for innovative and effective design ideas.