source: billboards.com
Viewing Time
An important question to ask is does your message communicate simply and effectively within 6-10 seconds? That's how long your viewer will have an opportunity to see your ad. Remember, if your ad is on a highway, cars are traveling at an average of 55 mph or more. Contrary to many opinions, if the ad is cluttered with too much info, the viewer won't get this info gradually over time (more with each viewing). Instead they will ignore the ad altogether as too hard to read. It is generally recommended to use no more than 7 words. Simplicity is key.
Font Size
Notice whether the copy lines are instantly readable at 300ft for posters and 500ft for bulletins. Do your fonts have thick or thin lines, or a combination of the two? Better creative typically has sturdy letters with even spacing. Make sure your text does not crowd the letters together, resulting in confusion.
Spacing Consideration
The eye typically moves from the upper left corner to the lower right corner of a billboard. Consider this when creating your artwork, including how the images and text are juxtaposed. Have you considered where the billboard is located? Is it far from the traffic or close? If far, you must use less copy and larger fonts to increase effectiveness. In contrast, if close, you can use more copy and a smaller font to create the same effect. Have you considered the speed of traffic and placement of intersections near the board? If the speed is slow, located near secondary roads, and/or near an intersection, the message can be longer than if located on a high speed freeway.
General visibility
Does the message create maximum visibility? Use colors and pictures to contrast with the sky and other surroundings. On a typical board, try not to use white or sky blue backgrounds as they blend with the sky around them. Is the ad readable from various distances, angles, lighting and weather conditions? Your creative design should be specific to the board if possible or if not then designed for the poorest visibility board in the showing.Are you saying only one simple key statement? Nothing else will be read and may endanger the more important messages. Do not put words or sentences stacked on top of each other. This reduces the ability to understand and view the message. Less is more. Does your ad have a sufficient amount of space between the actual lines and words? If the letters or words run together it won't be read.
Contrasting Colors
Is the text contrasting in color with the background? Use a PMS or other color system. If you have an image, make sure it attracts the eye separate from the background and the copy. Do the background colors contrast with surroundings? (ie.g. sky, buildings, backdrop of board). Are the colors used primary and secondary in nature? For example, color combinations that work are blue and yellow or red and black. Whereas, colors such as purple and yellow, or red and green vibrate togather at too high a frequency and do not tend to be as effective.
Attractive Ads
Using an image along with copy is good as the image attracts the eye and then your copy gets read. Also, the image can have lasting impact (eg. ChickFilet's cows). Dogs and other animals can be very effective. Extensions on billboards make your ad stand out from other boards. Most billboards in a given area will be a standard size so if you can extend your board higher you will be more noticeable (eg. From a 14' x 48' to a 17' x 48'). Further, extending an image beyond the board is very eye catching and memorable.
