If you want to deliver a fast message, outdoor advertising is certainly a fast-paced medium. Or rather, it’s a medium that requires a message that registers quickly, at a distance and when the reader is on the move.
This is not the place for your long-winded message, but it can gain you massive exposure as a broad media on a highly traveled roadway. Similar to TV and radio, outdoor is a mass market medium and is best used for broad messages that support (rather than define) your marketing campaigns.
Your layout and design should be cohesive and deliver a unifying impression – and not be just a bunch of thoughts where you’re counting on the reader to pick and choose what fits him best. In traffic at varying degrees of speed, there’s no time for that.
If you use an image, it needs to capture attention and convey a message that builds on your copy. And the copy itself should be brief and clear (5 to 8 words), delivered in legible type. Save fancy and off-the-wall fonts for some other place.
Overall, remember that “less is more.” You’ve only got a couple of seconds to get seen. So don’t clutter your space with competing messages and multiple calls to action. Keep it simple, focused, attention-grabbing and well-placed. It’s not there to do all the work, but to help build awareness and lead to a next step as part of an integrated campaign.