A question that is regularly regurgitated in advertising is whether print adverts still work. With the rise of intelligent and unusual advertising techniques, and a shift in focus that directs towards the digital world, many companies are now focusing on imagery, copy, and video content to be used to promote and market themselves exclusively online. Despite there being a development in the style and types of effective advertising used, it doesn’t meant that older, standardised methods are now obsolete.
The developing styles of advertising and the broadening of creativity within them actually allows for businesses to create a better, stronger campaign that is inclusive of multiple strains of advertising formats. By creating quality adverts that make use of homogeneous concepts, companies can advertise themselves whilst reinforcing their branding, and print and banner advertising is continuing to be a vital component when achieving this.
There are two main types of print advertising that a business should focus on, that displayed in print media publications, and those which are displayed publically in a variety of locations. A business should decide whether all of the formats are relevant to them by assessing the size of their business, their budget, and what they wish to achieve from the creation of an advert.
Magazine and Newspaper Adverts
When wanting an advert to be displayed in a print magazine or newspaper a business will need to outline some factors prior to creation and placement. Firstly, a company should consider their target audience and complete some market research to find what they read and their interests. After significant data has been collated, a business should then work a design that complies with the branding style and the tastes of their audience so that persuasive content is created.
Whilst considering the design, businesses should also consider the size of the advert and what effect it will have on the content and details included. As small quarter page ad spaces limit the visibility of the words used, a business may want to consider using QR codes that can be scanned by a smartphone to load a business’s website or page that contains more information.
Outdoor and Public Area Advertising
Public area and outdoor advertising are brilliant ways for a business to make instant impact and focus on a particular area and audience and are shown to still be highly effective. By displaying an advert in busy areas that are frequently used by the public like tube and train stations, bus stops and high streets, a business can promote themselves with ease.
With a wide variety of options, businesses choosing to use outdoor advertising can even use their premises as a means of display. During special events, such as sales, a business can hang a PVC banner or sign from their building to promote the occasion, and this can still be considerate in design and aligning with the aesthetics of the brand. Those who are opting to have a banner or sign created that promotes a special business occasion such as a sale may want to incorporate design traits that are used nationally so that the event is almost instantly recognisable to consumers.
About the Author: This article is written by Beth Stubbings. Beth believes that despite a recent small decline in the power of print advertising, that it has longevity. She thinks that whilst viral adverts are popular and effective now, a combination of methods is the best way for a business to promote themselves. She would recommend Big Value Banners to any business who need visual advertising to be displayed in public areas.
Photo credit: Michael Coghlan
