Designing for Impact – Understanding Psychology of Effective Billboards

Psychology is central to all successful marketing campaigns.
You could invest hundreds in marketing but if you do not understand the minds of your target audience then it’s highly unlikely that you’re getting your invested money back.

Billboards are capable of grabbing the attention of viewers and communicating the message intended effectively. Billboard psychology is the impact it has on the consumer, leading it to brand familiarity. A logos design company can help you design a billboard with all the required elements that make it effective. 

A Battle between the Conscious and Subconscious Mind

Advertisement can be a battle between the conscious and subconscious mind. Understanding the statistics will help you make effective billboard ads.  

Statistics show that 71% of the people who look at billboards consciously process the featured messaging.

Billboards are capable of engaging viewers whether they’re consciously looking at it or not. 

The unconscious mind can process up to 11 million pieces of information per second, that’s why even if you’re not consciously looking at an ad you might still remember it. 

While the conscious mind can process just 40 pieces of data during the same period, making it less capable of handling large volumes of information in real-time.

The subconscious mind absorbs information from the surroundings and the environment it is in. Works just like a sponge!

Billboards can blend naturally in the surrounding environment. So, even if you’re not fully aware of your surroundings, you’ll still remember the billboard ad you saw while driving in town because your subconscious mind was exposed to it.  

Triggering Emotional Response

Successfully engaging customers involves investing in methods that trigger emotional responses. These methods are related to messaging and marketing channels. 

Studies show that customers do not always give rational thought to their purchasing decisions making emotions the driving force behind 50% of buying decisions. 

Billboards evoke feelings. These feelings are generated by creative advertising which influences the subconscious mind and draws the attention of viewers towards the billboard. 

The feelings humans experience are dependent on their deep psychological needs such as thirst, hunger and an underlying desire for belonging which is why you’ll see brands triggering those emotions commonly. 

Billboards evoke positive emotions. It’ll be smart to use emotions like a passion for art and a unique sense of humour to build brand awareness and establish brand-client relationships. 56% of customers are engaged by and talk openly about a humorous billboard.

Familiarity and Higher Conversion Rates

Humans tend to resist change. Even when we know they’ll bring a positive change in their lives. They are drawn to familiarity.

Familiarity with something makes us feel content, secure and innately comfortable. Humans would stall trying new things and would prefer sticking to their comfort zones. 

So, if you look deep into consumer behavior, shoppers will likely prioritise brands that they’re already familiar with. 82% of customers who shop online choose a familiar brand to shop for when subjected to an ad and 16% were willing to try something new. 

The same goes for billboard advertisements. Billboards, when placed in a strategic location, help create brand awareness and drive brand recognition. 

Outdoor advertising is one of the most trusted advertising mediums, particularly when compared to online channels of advertising, making billboard advertising a trusted and highly visible channel. 

The Psychology of Color

Billboards can also be brought to life with a vibrant and eye-catching color palette. With a good understanding of the psychology of color, you can use billboards to your advantage making them an ideal strategy for advertisement.  

Companies can make strategic color choices that directly influence cultural, psychological and physical factors in the minds of customers and provoke the specific response they expect from the billboard advertisement. 

They could use red to promote the business. Red creates a sense of urgency which companies can use to their advantage for promoting purposes.

The color blue establishes a sense of trust and efficiency which helps build brand awareness while the color yellow is an increasingly popular choice that epitomises confidence, positivity and high self-esteem

Companies that advertise home and domestic products will mostly use green to portray the brand as harmonious, refreshing and comfortable.  

The psychology of color contributes a lot to a successful billboard campaign that resonates with the brand identity. 

Campaigns To Understand the Impact

Still not convinced about getting a billboard for your business? Some effective billboard ads might help.

Apple’s iPod Silhouette Campaign

An iPod was released with the aim of revolutionizing the way people heard music. After the release of the product, it required a brand campaign to attract its target audience of tech-savvy music lovers. Apple wanted an ad campaign that was eye-catching and memorable and hence the “Apple’s iPod Silhouette Campaign” came into being. 

The ad featured black silhouettes of people dancing against brightly colored backgrounds, with a white iPod and earbuds visible. The ads were designed to promote the portability of the device and the joy of listening to music anywhere. 

The campaign successfully captured attention, evoked emotion and showcased the sleek design of the iPod using simplicity, creativity, and minimal text to convey the joy of music.

Nike’s “Just Do It” Campaign

Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign is an iconic marketing strategy that has a motivational message behind it. The ad was launched in 1988 and featured striking visuals of athletes, inspiring people to achieve greatness and excellence.

The ad campaign contributed to Nike’s exponential growth and positioning of the brand, encouraging individuals to pursue their goals fearlessly.  

Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” Campaign

The “Share a Coke” campaign involved personalized bottles with popular names, encouraging consumers to share the bottle with their friends and family. 

The campaign used billboards to feature relatable names creating a sense of inclusivity and connecting with the audience. The brand promoted a memorable experience of sharing a drink with your loved ones.

McDonald’s “Follow the Arches” Billboard

McDonald’s Golden Arches logo is recognized by all and they’ve effectively utilized the Arches for an effective billboard ad. The creative billboard ad featured segments of the Golden Arches from directing drivers to the nearest McDonald’s, the billboards served as road signs. 

The billboard ad created an instant sense of brand recognition and reinforced brand awareness with minimal elements.

Wrap Up

Effective billboard ads can make a significant impact on the minds of consumers by engaging them more with the brand and creating brand awareness. An understanding of consumer psychology and the preferences of the target audience can help curate impactful billboards.

There are many examples we can give to justify the help of consumer psychology in creating effective ad campaigns. A marketing agency needs to be creative in what they produce for a brand that fully utilizes the brand image and brand story.