Billboard and Outdoor Advertising

Crest proves that even toothpaste can stand out in crowded city subways and streets with these clever whitening product ads. Amazing what a little paint accomplishes!

A bunch of graffiti on the subway yesterday reminded me of MSN’s “corporate graffiti” back in 2002. To promote the launch of their new product, the company strategically placed around 16,000 MSN “butterfly” decals around Manhattan.  The city eventually intervened and made Microsoft apologize and pay a few fines (they can afford it!). Those hassles were probably worth it, because the event generated an enormous amount of publicity and serves as an awesome example of guerrilla outdoor marketing.

I’m not sure where this billboard was displayed, but I absolutely had to share it. It shows how an uncomplicated, original concept can go a long way in advertising. Like the car ads below, the integration with the environment is simply awesome.

How cool are these Mustang billboards? Not only do they grab my attention, but they work in a variety of contexts.

Unfortunately, I have no idea where this billboard was originally displayed, but even the online photo of it definitely caught my eye! The 3d images and clever concept really stand out. Since we see up to 3,000 advertisements every day, having a real draw like this is crucial to attract attention.

Quirky grocery store Bloom wants to be a “different kind of grocery store”, and their advertising methods certainly reflect this sentiment. This eye-catching billboard hails from way back in 2005, but we couldn’t resist showing it off. More recently (April 2008) Bloom staged a completely fake protest for 3 hours a day for 3 days. The noble cause? A faux replacement of their jumbo muffins with muffin tops. Complete with a website, flyers, parade, youtube videos and more, the “Coalition of Really United Muffin Bottoms” (C.R.U.M.B) picketed up a storm in Greenville, South Carolina. Unique marketing strategies like this outlive their time!

Looking for a free ride? Look no farther! The latest trend to avoid ever-climbing gas prices isn’t hybrid cars, four day work weeks,or bicycling…in fact, it isn’t even environment friendly! Rather, it gets back to a root of capitalism: marketing. CNN recently reported that a growing number of companies, such as jobing.com, are offering their employees free gas and around $500 dollars a month to drive around “billboard” cars. Even if your company doesn’t offer such a program, you can get in the game yourself by signing up to become a driving billboard for other brands. One agency, autowraps.com, even calls mobile advertising the “hottest thing since the horseless carriage.” Huh? We have to ask, what’s next? Billboards tattooed on your forehead? Wait…been there done that. Anyways, I like this van in particular because the house scene is eye-catching.