Managing the Advertising Campaign

Signage and Billboards

The use of signs to communicate a marketer’s message places advertising in geographically identified areas in order to capture customer attention.   The most obvious method of using signs is through billboards, which are generally located in high traffic areas.  Outdoor billboards come in many sizes, though the most well-known are large structures located near transportation points intending to attract the interest of people traveling on roads or public transportation.  Indoor billboards are often smaller than outdoor billboards and are designed to attract the attention of foot traffic (i.e., those moving past the sign).  For example, smaller signage in airports, train terminals and large commercial office space fit this category. 

While billboards are the most obvious example of signage advertising, there are many other forms of signage advertising include:

• Sky writing where airplanes use special chemicals to form words
• Plane banners where large signs are pulled behind an airplane
• Mobile billboards where signs are placed on vehicles, such as buses and cars, or even carried by people
• Plastic bags used to protect newspapers delivered to homes
• Advertisements attached to grocery carts