A Great Range Of Choice For Marketing Professionals Who Prefer Large Ad Formats

More than ever before there is great choice when it comes to advertising banners. The different medium and variety of products is truly amazing. In fact, you could almost say that the range has reached a point where it could even be considered to be too great.

The selection can be overwhelming. And because of this it requires a dedicated and highly knowledgeable marketing professional to pull together the right mix. He or she must make the correct selection of collateral in order to successfully deliver a campaign. The work cannot be random or done quickly without research or forethought; that kind of approach will be ineffective and will waste money.

This article will give an overview of some of the different types of advertising banners on offer and how they can work for your organisation so that initiatives can yield the results you desire.

Billboard – Giant poster and transport ads are amongst the oldest in the industry. Yet interestingly they are one of the most enduring and effective. Why? The reasons are not hard to figure out. You're able to exposure message to a large number of people very quickly and, compared to television and radio, they are relatively inexpensive. As everyone knows, people don't have to use the public system to be exposed to these options. If you're travelling in a car, particularly during rush hour, you will see this kind of product and it'll capture attention.

However, these things do have their drawbacks. The number of words is a limited and some people would actually consider them a shallow format. You can't get a very lengthy message on the back of the bus or even on a billboard. Another limitation is that performance is highest in urban areas. If you need to reach many people in different settings, including rural or even isolated locations, they won't work. So it would be unwise for you to allocate your complete budget to this one option alone. But they can be used very well for product launches and new initiatives.

Online – Options have evolved tremendously since the dawn of the Internet in the early 1990s. There are many different kinds of adverts you can opt for but they should be used very carefully. These can also be expensive and generally speaking today only yield good results on high traffic websites. You need to explore the pricing model. If it's paid per impression is going to be accruing costs even though the visitor doesn't click through the ad and take a look at your website. Usually, pay per click is the best option. It shows that your ad has captured attention and someone wants to have a look - at the very least that's the first step towards making a sale.

Overall, web adverts have fallen in popularity in recent years. It appears that customers want to focus more on content when they are online and not be drawn to messages that push products or services. This is quite different when compared with print because we all know that individuals pick up a newspaper or magazine to actually browse through display ads. However, don't feel that this should be ignored. It still has its place and should be used alongside other formats as part of your channels.

You need to think about the technical file format. If you go with Flash there will still be some people using browsers who can't accommodate that file type.

Print - despite our on-going embrace of all things web, magazines and newspapers still have an important role to play when it comes to promotions. As with the opportunities outlined above, your first steps should be to understand who you're trying to reach and then explore what they read. If it's a niche audience then go with specialist products. If it's broad and general, then pick lifestyle mags and some mainstream press.

Ground-level Graphics Grab Attention And Add A Surprise Factor

In the competitiveness of the marketing world, staff and agencies around the world are constantly looking at new ways to attract attention and make customers aware of new and existing products new services.

The challenge to make people aware, create campaigns that capture attention, engage and cultivate loyalty is not easy in a time when there are constantly new sources of information. We are bombarded by e-mail, Twitter, the web, virals, TV, radio and much more. There is also film, billboards, train and bus advertising, online visuals, and other forms of off-line options - all of which vie for our attention.

In recent years a new form of visual has appeared. It's dynamic, colourful and brilliantly eye-catching because it is used in a creative and sometimes even deceptive manner. This new thing is floor graphics, and it has really taken off. They offer a unique and inexpensive way to advertise a product or service and have been reported to work well especially when compared to radio and TV.

The product performs exceptionally well in high traffic areas and can pack a powerful punch when complementing other aspects of the project that are both on and off-line. They are a great thing to implement alongside any kind of broadcast media and traditional efforts too.

On first consideration these things wouldn't appear to be effective. Without thinking too hard it's easy to assume that most people don't walk about looking down; we imagine that most people look straight ahead when they're out and about and going somewhere. But the actual truth is the opposite and something that was discovered by retail outlet marketing many years ago – the average person has their eyes cast down at a roughly 30° angle when they're heading somewhere.

When you consider this, it makes perfect sense. Reflect on the way you walk. You have to keep an eye on the footpath ahead for things like steps, uneven pavements and any other obstacle that could be your way. The fact that most people have their eyes in this direction means that a floor-based marketing product is in an ideal position to capture attention.

With the graphic on the ground, the item will be seen immediately. That's because it's unusual and people respond by stopping and wanting to look at what they are about to step on. They will want to read the words before moving on. This kind of advertising gets guaranteed viewing.

The best kind of floor graphics use incredibly creative design and outstanding visuals. It was reported in European Sign Magazine that when the drinks firm Pepsi introduced its ground level campaigns brand awareness rose from 33% to 58%. The graphics were powerful and simulated a 3-D effect with a drinks cup seemingly rising from the earth and the spray and ice from the drink bursting to greet the viewer. The design even employed a shadow effect to enhance the imitation dimensional element.

Other unusual examples include a massage firm that used this type of display on a footpath in a busy city centre. The advert featured an image of a woman lying face-down with a pillow under her head, looking as though she was ready for a spa treatment. It's hard to imagine how anyone could fail to see this very striking campaign.

If you decide to go with this type of collateral one of the most important things is to not cut corners on cost. You need something that is durable and will adhere to the space. It must wear well under heavy footfall. Resistance to wear and tear and an ability to keep clean are important considerations too.

Before ordering, ensure you think hard about the message and the visual. Focus group testing is very worthwhile so that you can get additional opinions from people outside the company or the agency. Have mock-ups produced and placed in various locations to find out how they look and what kind of reaction they generate. Then you are ready to make your order.