Mastering the Art of OOH Design: A Comprehensive Guide

When it comes to OOH campaigns, the design isn’t just a piece of the puzzle; it’s the glue that holds it all together. In fact, recent stats show that the design of an OOH campaign contributes to a whopping 47% of the campaign’s overall success, actively influencing purchasing decisions and driving sales.

 

Out of home (OOH) or Outdoor Advertising offers a canvas where creativity, strategy and innovation come together to make a lasting impact. Whether its highway billboards or digital displays in bustling city centres, OOH advertising requires bold design to capture attention and foster connections.

 

In this blog post, we will delve into the elements of successful OOH design and explore how mastering OOH design can transform your brand’s message into an unforgettable visual story.

OOH Advertising

1. Colour and Contrast: Making Your Message Stand Out

 

When it comes to OOH design, captivating your audience’s attention is the ultimate goal. The use of contrast in colour and value plays a pivotal role in ensuring your message stands out in the crowd. Discover why this is the first step to an unforgettable OOH campaign.

 

• Hue and Value: Hue represents colour’s personality, while value measures its lightness or darkness. For OOH advertisements it is crucial to achieve contrast in both hue and value.

 

• Colour Choices: Opting for contrasting colours can greatly enhance visibility over distances. We have compiled a list of 14 colour combinations that work wonders for both reflective content.

 

• The Art of Colour: Consider pigments as the superheroes behind your design. They possess the ability to either absorb or reflect frequencies of light so choose wisely.

2. Typography: Fonts that Command Attention

 

Typography isn’t just about pretty letters; it’s a potent tool for communicating your brand’s personality and message. In this section, we’ll delve into the art of selecting fonts that grab your audience’s attention and leave a lasting impression.

 

• Font Finesse: Selecting the right font is akin to choosing your battle cry. It should enhance readability, enforce your brand image and leave a memorable impression.

 

• Font Hacks: Blend capital and lowercase letters, maintain consistent spacing and avoid fancy fonts (think cursive) to ensure easy readability.

outdoor advertising

Typography

Hierarchy is also a very important consideration when crafting your copy. The image below (created by Jackson Yew) demonstrates a clear visual hierarchy.

You Will Read This First - Visual Copy Hierarchy example by Jackson Yew

3. Crafting OOH Copy

 

Words are powerful. Short, snappy, and compelling copy can make or break your OOH campaign. Learn how to craft copy that not only informs but also motivates viewers to take action.

 

• Keep it Short: Aim for brevity with seven words or fewer to ensure quick comprehension.

 

• Catchy Taglines: A snappy tagline should be concise. Effectively convey your main message.

 

• Highlight Benefits: Does your product or service solve a problem, offer comfort or grab attention? Make sure to emphasise these aspects!

 

• Encourage Action: Motivate engagement with a call to action.

 

• Consistent Brand Voice: Maintain your brands personality and values in your copy.

billboard comparison

4. Captivating Attention within 3 Seconds

 

In today’s fast-paced world, you have just seconds to capture someone’s attention. Discover the “3 Second Rule” and how it ensures your OOH design makes an instant impact.

 

• Testing Impact: The 3 Second Rule assesses whether your design can quickly convey information.

 

• The Power of Simplicity: Keep your design focused on 2 3 elements such as text, image and logo.

 

• Memorable and Bold Elements: Incorporate visual elements that leave a lasting impression and grab attention.

5. Designing for Impact

 

Great design goes beyond aesthetics; it’s about creating visuals that resonate deeply with your audience. This section explores how to infuse your OOH designs with elements that leave a lasting impression.

 

• Creating Memorable Moments: Surprise your audience with visuals or messaging that pique curiosity and encourage engagement.

 

• Stand Out from the Crowd: vibrant colours, eye catching visuals and imaginative concepts into your designs to leave a lasting impression.

 

• Make a Bold Statement: Utilize fonts, contrasting colours and impactful statements to ensure your message resonates deeply.

6. Unleashing Innovation: Where Magic Happens

 

Creativity and innovation are the keys to standing out in the OOH landscape. Explore how embracing originality and distinctive design elements can elevate your campaigns to new heights.

 

• Embrace Originality: Dare to be unique by using unconventional imagery and messaging that breaks away from the norm.

 

• Incorporate Distinctive Design Elements: Enhance engagement by integrating features, augmented reality and personalized experiences.

 

• Striking the Right Balance: Infuse creativity into your designs while maintaining brand identity.

7. The Power of Location

 

Location matters, but it’s not just about where you place your ads. Learn why tailoring your OOH content to specific locations and audience preferences is essential for success.

 

• Avoid Repurposing Traps: Resist the temptation to reuse print or social media designs: out of home advertising demands bigger, bolder and simpler approaches. The image below shows how important it is to remember that OOH advertising gets viewed from significant distances, making it crucial that OOH design takes a simple approach.

 

• Emphasize Brand Awareness: Focus on building your brand rather than overwhelming with contact details. Keep it clean and straightforward.

 

• Stay Aligned with Relevance: Customize your content based on specific locations and audience preferences.

 

• Put Audience Appeal First: Design with your target audience in mind rather than focusing solely on accolades or awards.

OOH Advertising

8. Leveraging Alliance Media: Your Partner for Bold Out of Home Advertising

 

Success in OOH advertising often relies on strategic partnerships. Discover how working with Alliance Media can provide the inventory, insights, and expertise to take your campaigns to the next level.

 

• Endless OOH Opportunities Await: Benefit from Alliance Media’s extensive inventory across Africa, for strategic placements to reach the correct audience.

 

• Tailored Solutions for Maximum Impact: We provide data driven strategies to craft campaigns that deeply resonate with your target audience.

 

• Honest Feedback Matters: Alliance Media offers insights to optimize your out of home advertisement creatives.

 

• Building Brand Recognition and Expanding Reach: As the leaders in OOH advertising throughout Africa, partnering with Alliance Media enhances visibility and exposure.

9. Nuances when Designing for Digital Out of Home (DOOH): Merging Boldness with Digital Brilliance

 

Digital out-of-home (DOOH) opens up new avenues for creativity and interactivity. Explore how to seamlessly integrate digital technology into your OOH designs for real-time impact.

 

• Seamless Integration of Digital Out of Home: DOOHs flexibility allows for real time updates and interactive features.

 

• Let’s Bring Your DOOH Creativity to Life: Motion and animation add vitality to your designs.

 

• Personalization Driven by Data: Customize content based on audiences, locations and even weather conditions.

 

• Relevance in Real Time: Take advantage of trending events and cultural moments to make an impact.

Designing for outdoor advertising goes beyond aesthetics: it’s about evoking emotions sparking curiosity and inspiring action. Each design element should play a role in crafting a narrative that deeply resonates. As you start your creative for outdoor advertising, remember that bold, simple design holds the key to creating an unforgettable visual story that lingers in the minds and hearts of your audience. It’s time to let outdoor advertising help your brand shine like never before!