Billboards are a fantastic way to advertise products and services in a bold and larger-than-life manner, and these clever billboard techniques are showcasing how marketers are utilizing outside-the-box methods to draw in consumers.
While billboards are often meant to be large and overwhelming as a way to attract both people walking and those driving by, these clever marketing techniques are going beyond what ordinary billboard signs often showcase to create ads that are visually mesmerizing and one-of-a-kind. Incorporating such clever aspects as three-dimensional objects seemingly coming out from the poster to interactive mobile features and ironic placements, these creative techniques are taking average print ads to a whole other level.
From sunscreen-dispensing signage to uplifting social billboards, these clever marketing techniques are utilizing all sorts of social and interactive methods to attract consumers.
59 Clever Billboard Techniques
From Scent-Emitting Bus Stops to Spinning Billboard Swings:
Tana Makmanee — Jul 30, 2013 — Marketing
59
Functional Outdoor Billboards
The IBM Smart Ideas for Smarter Cities Campaign Leads by Example
58
Facebook-Inspired Advertising
Social Networking Heads Out of the Home to Billboards & Print Ads
57
Truckvertising
Clever Campaigns on Wheels
56
Clever Science Campaigns (UPDATE)
Science World Billboards Teach Funky Facts
55
Clever Coupon Billboards
James Ready Beer Gets Creative with Interactive Discount Posters
54
Tear-Jerking Advertisements
The Calgary International Film Festival Billboard is Sad and Funny
53
Smart Beverage Billboards
A Customized Advertisement Picks Out Drinks in Shinagawa Station
52
Interactive Bus Stop Ads
Crank Up the Bikini Model's Tan
51
Upside-Down Advertisements
The Upside Down Gap Store in Vancouver is a Marketing Win
50
Weed-Eradicating Billboards
This Clever Billboard Ad for Kiwicare Slowly Kills the Weeds Around It
49
Humanized Advertisements
This ING Direct Ad is Lively and Interactive
48
Sportvertising
10 Amazing Sporting Ads
47
Unwrappable Art Ads
The Leo Burnett and Arc Worldwide Art Institute of Chicago is Interactive
46
Punny Rectal Ads
The Tampa Proctology Billboard Will Crack You Up
45
Fictional Wordvertising
Snickers Creates New Words For Delicious Ad Campaign
44
Cut Out Model Billboards
Pessek Zman Chocolate Ads
43
Guerrilla Tourism Ads
Time to Thaw: South Carolina Tourism
42
Cunning Contraceptive Campaigns
Manchester City Council Promotes 'Any Plans Tonight' Website
41
Witty Billboard Graffiti
Street Artist OX's Art is a Print and Digital Media Intervention
40
Love Letter Murals
Steve Powers Creates 50 Poetic Billboards
39
Gamer-Centric Projection Campaigns
The BMW Joy 3D Ad in Singapore Will Blow You Away
38
Wrinkly Billboards
SeeThePersonNotTheAge.com Wants You to like Old People
37
Sensitive Speech Signs
The NFS Stuttering Billboards Teach Compassion
36
Peeling Skin Billboards
The Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration Campaign is Made Up of Curious Cou
35
Uplifting Social Billboards
The Prigat Smile Stations Bring Happiness to Consumers
34
Cleverly Inverted Urban Ads
This Street Ad by Mikkel Moller Targets its Market Via Reflection
33
See-Through Billboards
Google Video Campaign
32
Web-Browser Billboards
New Zealand Company Metservice Created this Clever Billboard Advertisement
31
Interactive McMarketing
McDonald's Pick 'n' Play Billboard Lets People Play for Free Food
30
Hand-Painted Billboards
The Ritual Project for Stella Revives Dying Art of Hand-Painted Ad
29
Fold-Out Ad Seating
The Billboard Bench by Relja Perunovic Serves Public & Company Interests
28
Social Media Feeders
Granatapet Develops a Billboard With Foursquare That Releases Dog Food
27
Ads Targeted to Activity Levels
McDonald's & Coca-Cola Stair & Escalator Campaign
26
Using Live Pigeons in Billboards
MSN Live Search 'Hutch' Campaign
25
Hands-On Guerrilla Ads
Clever Supportive Ad Placement
24
Digital Driving Apps
The Screenreach 'Screach' Interactive Billboard Game was a UK Hit
23
Ex-Governor Exploiting Billboards
Ashley Madison Calls Out Mark Sanford With Its Latest Ads
22
Drowning Billboards
Guerrilla Campaign For "Day After Tomorrow"
21
Itty-Bitty Billboards
The BBDO Toronto Smart Campaign Embodies its Pint-Sized Product
20
Sunscreen-Dispensing Signage
This SunSmart Australia Campaign Encourages Skin Protection
19
Touchable Turntable Posters
The Urbanears Scratch Poster Turns People Into Interactive DJs
18
Guerrilla Hanging Ads
Sparring Partner Gym
17
Moon-Integrating Billboards
The 'Luna Corona' Billboard is Designed to Align with the Moon
16
Spinning Billboard Swings
The Kolotoc 'Merry-Go-Round' Project is Amusement via Advertisements
15
Sense-Simulating Advertising
This Ctaste Dark Dining Promotion Poster is Cleverly All-Black
14
Illusory Anti-Graffiti Ads
TransPerth Adds Handcuffs to Train Seats
13
Night-Only Ads
McDonald's Reflective Billboard Comes to Life in the Dark
12
Targeted Tree Campaigns
The Arbor Day Inhotim Ads Cleverly Communicate a Double Message
11
Scent-Emitting Bus Stops
McCain Ready Baked Jackets Campaign Offers Smell of Baking Food
10
Auto Part Integration Ads
Clever Bus Billboards
9
Intergenerational Poverty Ads
Girl Hub in Nigeria Promotes Speech Without Words
8
Size-Promoting Billboards
The Volkswagen Up! Outdoor Campaign is Creative & Cute
7
Recycled Electronics Ads
Best Buy E-Cycle Billboard Made from E-Waste
6
Reflective Auto Ads
This BMW Advertisement by 'Serviceplan' Doubles the Attention
5
Youthful Warhol Branding
This Tomcateden Andy Warhol Exhibition Emphasizes the Undiscovered
4
Singed Sauce Ads
The 'Taystee Chilli Sauce: Burned Billboard' is Too Hot to See
3
Weaving Luminous Ads
Port Authority MediaMesh Project to Light Up NYC Train Station
2
Foot Massage Stairvertising
Ogawa Massage Chair Ads
1
Smelling Distance Ads
Siose Antiperspirant Roll-on Deodorant for Men Posts Pit-Level Promos
Related Ideas
Multifunctional Transport Buses
The Bubblic Public Imagines the Future of Public Transit
Skincare Pop-Up Trucks
Neutrogena Canada will Host a Boost Bus in Toronto
Anti-Consumption Natural Ads
The 'Girls Just Wanna Grow Plants' Ad Aims to Reducing Consumption
Cleverly-Disguised Fountain Cups
Pepsi's Latest Campaign Stunt Introduced 'Undercover Cups'
AI-Lead Car Ads
Ford Launched an AI Campaign Dubbed 'Be Surreal, Be Ford'
Clear In-Game Billboard Advertisements
SCS Software's Truck Simulator Uses Real-Life Advertising
Ingenious De-Influencing Ads
Cuyana's De-Influencing April Fool's Campaign Highlights Greenwashing
Sun Safety Beach Takeovers
Sun Bum's Miami Beach Takeover Supported Safe Fun in the Sun
LED Can Concepts
The Pepsi Smart Can Has a Flexible HD Display & Sound System
Hands-Free Car Innovations
Ford Partnered with the British Deaf Association to Launch an Ad
Beer-Pouring Party Billboards
JUBEL Made a Billboard That Pours Pints Invites People in to Party
Parisian Airport Pop-Ups
Moët Hennessy's Paris Concept Event Featured Travel Exclusives
Digital Debit Card Campaigns
Interac Introduces 'The Lost Wallet Board' Installation in Toronto
Ketchup Dispenser Billboards
'Smack for Heinz' Helps Fans Complete Meals with a Favorite Condiment
Novel Home Security Concepts
Swift Creatives Introduces 'Sculptural Surveillance'
Naturalistic Taco Stand Campaigns
Coca-Cola Launched a Street Photography Campaign in Norway
AI Movie Poster Generators
AI Movie Poster Generator Creates Impactful Promotional Materials
Illustrative 420 Campaigns
Vizie Unveils His Latest Work for Grassroots' 420 Campaign
In-Game Billboard Advertising
Gameloft Enables Partners to Advertise Natively in its Games
Color Blindness-Exclusive Billboards
TD Unveils a Campaign to Highlight Its Accessibility Adapter
Mobile Truck Gloss Pop-Ups
Glossier Brings Balm DotWorld Mobile Truck to NYC This Summer
Purposeful Consumer-Focused Campaigns
IKEA's Sleepfluencers Campaign is a Clever Way to Give Back
Disruptive Sun Care Pop-Ups
Sun Bum's Good Days Daily Bodega Inspires Refreshed Routines
Photosensitive Book Experiences
Fruittella's the Outside Book is a One-Of-A-Kind Campaign
Beautified Community Spaces
Sephora Canada's Beauty at The Bentway Revitalizes Outdoor Space
Engaging Shelf Displays
Netvisual is Elevating In-Store Advertising with its Shelf Edge Displays
Hug-Activated Marketing Machines
UNIQLO France and The Pull Launch the Hug to Unlock Ad
Employee Fragrance Campaigns
Lidl's Fragrance Campaign Features Local Talent with Celebrity Names
Athletic Apparel Interactive Billboards
Gymshark Unveils the Shoplift Campaign Ahead of Sale
Star-Studded Tech Campaigns
Jewellery Pros and Music Talent Promote the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
Humorous Payment Campaigns
Paypal's Latest Campaign Features Actor Will Ferrell
Personalized In-Flight Ads
United Airlines Kinective Media Offers Curated Travel
Lazy Cereal Campaigns
SURREAL Cereal Cheekily Pokes Fun at New Year's Resolutions
Creative Play Pop-Ups
The Sharpie Studio Offered Opportunities for Creativity at SXSW
QSR Menu Billboard Campaigns
Burger King Shows Real Burger Sizes with Real Size Campaigns
Seasonal Phone Booth Activations
Spotify's Q4 is Calling Urges Brands to Start Holiday Advertising
Interactive In-Store Ads
Visibubble Brings Mobile Messaging Capabilities to Store Shelves
Meditative Trash Campaigns
Hefty's Trash Time Out Provides Support During the Holiday Season
Convention-Challenging AC Campaigns
Samsung's WindFree Ad Stars a Savvy Grandma-Fluencer
Heated QSR Anniversary Campaigns
Burger King Brazil Celebrates Milestone with a New Campaign
Book-Inspired Public Benches
Madrid City Council Launched the Sit Down to Read 2024 Campaign
Nature-Reconnecting Outdoor Campaigns
Mammut Encouraged People to Reconnect with Nature
Craveable Soda Packaging
Sprite is Reviving Its Obey Your Thirst Campaign for a New Generation
Architecture-Inspired QSR Ads
This New McDonald’s Campaign Encourages Eating at Home
Marketer-Targeted Cereal Ads
Surreal's Out-of-Home Campaign Speaks to Marketers, Not Consumers
Hydrating Outdoor Billboards
Gatorade's BPM Pay Panels Replenish Urban Athletees on the Go
Soda Logo Rebranding Campaigns
Pepsi's New Logo Goes Across the Globe with a Bright Light Show
Country Music Songwriting Contests
Busch Light Fans have the Chance to Inspire a BRELAND Song
Scented Fast Food Billboards
McDonald's Set Up a French Fry-Scented Billboard
Smart Shopping Cart Ads
Instacart Unveiled Ads for Its AI-Powered Caper Carts
Recycled Plastic Bottle Campaigns
Coca-Cola Promotes the Toss In, Take Out Initiative
Creative Text-to-Infographic Tools
Infography Converts Blog Posts to Artistic Infographics
Interactive Recruitment Billboards
easyJet's Campaign Encourages Women to Consider a Pilot Career
Cooling Bus Shelter Designs
EMT Madrid Spearheads the Quest for Comfortable Public Transportation
Pollution-Removing Murals
This Campaign Sucks by Dentsu Brings Awareness to London's Air Quality
Neighborhood-Inspired Campaigns
Kotn's F/W 2024 Collection is Released with a Witty Short-Film
Humorous Automotive Campaigns
Hyundai’s 'Where Have You Been?' Ad Merges Nostalgia and Branding
Provocative Guerrilla Campaigns
Jewelry Brand MWCurated Uses Fake Infidelity Flyers for Marketing
Creative-Backed Footwear Campaigns
G.H. Bass Introduces Its Stepping Out Campaign
QSR Summer Pop-Ups
McDonald's Mexico Launched a Summer-Themed Activation in Mexico
Hyper-Targeted Shoppable Posters
Glossier and Shop Launched Posters with Geo-Gated Location Tech
Creator-Friendly Initiatives
Patreon Lights Up Times Square with Creator-Centric Billboard
Heritage-Honoring Artful Posters
Herman Miller Adds to the Archival Poster Collection
Anthropomorphic Store Campaigns
IKEA's Short Social Films Promote Its Click-and-Collect Service
Hangable Fragrance Tags
Born to Stand Out's Home Fragrances Enhance Interiors with Color & Scent
Pop-Up Sensory Showers
Dove's South Bank Activation Spotlights MicroMoisture Technology
Inventive Retail Strategies
H&M is Working to Localize Its Shopping Experience
Whimsical Candle Christmas Campaigns
The Yankee Candle 'Make it More Magical' Campaign is Festive
Immersive Hybrid Billboards
Meta's Halloween Thrillboards Tease Immersive Meta Quest 3 Experiences
Eco-Minded Millennial Ads
Coors Seltzer's 'Call to Inaction' Campaign Aims to Save Water
Connected Beer Jerseys
Miller Lite's Running of the Beer Ads Turns Fans into Walking Billboards
Co-Branded Custom Ads
Lexus and Universal Pictures Partner for the 'Experience OZmazing' Spot
Playful Creativity-Focused Campaigns
Sharpie® Launches the World is Your Canvas Tour
Cheerful Healthy Snack Campaigns
Garden Veggie Snacks' YUMbelievably Delicious is Innovative
Streetside Challenge Billboards
Gymbox Start Line Encourages Passersby to Try a Short Dash
Humorous Natural Deodorant Campaigns
The Every Man Jack 'Still Smell Good' Campaign is Catchy
Tree-Integrated Mysterious Art
Banksy Unveils a Mysterious Tree Mural in London's Finsbury Park
In-Store Audience Engagement Solutions
Social Shelf® Has a Novel Approach to Customer Engagement
Marketing Idea Generators
Thunderbucket Provides Marketing Ideas and Observations at Speed
Sunset Beer Campaigns
Corona's Sunset O’Clock Campaign Creatively Uses Time Stamps as Rewards
Wasteful Shopping Billboards
Not On The High Street's Billboards Highlight a "Don't Gift Guide"
Email Marketing Tracking Platforms
'Mailboard' Helps Marketers Track Competitors and More
Low-Power Paper-Like Retail Signs
The Samsung Color E-Paper Display Has an Eye-Friendly Profile
Scannable Tattoo Campaigns
Burger King Korea's Whopper Tattoo Promoted an Upgraded Whopper
All-Dark Marketing Campaigns
IKEA Introduces its Darkest Campaign Yet with Try Oslo's Help
Chicken-Centered Campaigns
KFC Released a Campaign Called 'Believe in Chicken'
Human Connection-Centric Campaigns
Etsy's New Ad Campaign Wants to Keep Commerce Human
Quirky Plant-Based Food Ads
Gosh! Food's Falafel Advertisement is Surprising
Tongue-In-Cheek Soda Campaigns
Pepsi Jokes at Coca-Cola in It's Tastes Better Campaign
Peeling Cheese Packaging Billboards
This Babybel Billboard is Inspired by the Product's Packaging
E-Commerce Advertising Solutions
Reddit is Enhancing its Reach with the New Dynamic Product Ads
Geo-Targeting Store Advertisements
Tesco Recommends Ads Based on a Shopper's Location in a Store
Travel-inspired Brand Campaigns
Michelin Launches the On the Road and Beyond! Campaign
Artistic Multi-Beverage Ads
The Coca-Cola Family is Spotlighted in this Unique Ad
Minimizing Phone Usage Initiatives
Heineken's Latest Campaign Addresses Phone Use at Music Events
Digital City-Inspired Art Works
New Digital Art is on Display in Grand Central Station
Swipable Curated Ad Inspiration
Swipify Lets Users Swipe Through the Latest Ad Campaigns
Phosphorescent Energy Drink Cans
Dynami:t's Cans Glow with Neon and Superbright Effects
Artful Illusory Ads
giffgaff's Large-Scale Illusion Artwork Challenges Inattentional Blindness
Anniversary-Celebrating Storytelling Ads
The Walt Disney Company Mark Marvel's 85th Anniversary
Naturally Inspired Tourism Campaigns
The Slovenian Tourist Board Launches a New Campaign
Creatively Sponsored Art Events
Sharpie is Sponsoring the Upcoming Art Battle Event in Los Angeles
Recycled Ad Campaigns
Mars is Reusing Fan-Favorite Ads to Bring Attention to Climate Change
Empowering Car Ads
CarMax's New Ad Campaign Takes a Witty Approach
Stigma-Breaking Motherhood Billboards
Molly Baz and Bobbie Send a Message of Empowerment
Scannable Skincare Murals
The Ordinary's Interactive Augmented Reality Mural Promotes Bodycare
Playful QSR Campaigns
Cossette Forms the New McDonald's Campaign to Closest Restaurant
Hard-To-Read Health Campaigns
A Specsavers Campaign Encourages Movie-Goers to Check their Sight
Innovative Digital Signage
Creative Realities Enhances Fan Engagement & Outcomes with New Signage
Advanced Printing Techniques
BrandMyDispo Has Introduced Printing Techniques for Custom Mylar Bags
Social Connection Campaigns
Beavertown Brewery's Is This Seat Taken? Campaign Unites Strangers
Hyper-Local Gym Ads
GymBox's Made for London Life Ads Juxtapose City Living and Gym-Going
Cheeky Series Star Campaigns
MTN DEW Debuts a New Superbowl Ad with Aubrey Plaza
Bizarre Soda Campaigns
Dr Pepper's Try More Weird Disrupts Life's Boredoms with Weirdness
Dynamic Auto Marketing Campaigns
Hyundai Promotes Its Electrical Vehicle Line-up
Skateboarding-Inspired Ads
Vans Launched the ‘Always Pushing’ Ad Highlighting Skating Culture
Celebrity-Backed Fragrance Ads
Axe Targets Generation Z with its New Star-Studded Campaign
Rewritten Christmas Song Ads
Burger King UK's Hijacking Christmas Will Guide You to the Drive Thru
Heist-Themed Cheese Ads
This Maxi Babybel Ad Celebrates the Cheese's Return
Creative Sun Safety Installations
Giant Beach Installation is a Reminder to Practice Sun Safety
Mobile Ad-Supported Checkouts
Sam's Club is Launching Display Ads in its Mobile App
Mango-Scented Newspaper Ads
Swiggy Instamart Launched a Scented Campaign in the Times of India
Advertising Demand-Side Platforms
Yahoo Launched Yahoo Creative to Help Advertisers
Efficiency-Driven Digital Ad Solutions
ShopLiftr is Revolutionizing Digital Advertising
Bar Cart Mascots
Tito's New Ad Series Features an Anthropomorphic Bar Cart with Mixology Skills
SaaS Influencer Marketing Tools
Beeing Social Launches 'Buzz Bee Buzz' for Influencer Marketing
Large-Screen Sports Campaigns
Hisense Debuted Its Big Game, Big Screen Initiative
AI-Powered Signage Apps
Parky AI Was Created for Understanding Confusing Montreal Traffic Signs
Comedic Groundhog Day Campaigns
Lay's Flavor for Days Campaign Taps into Groundhog Day
Billboard-Transformed Tent Shelters
Wunderman Thompson Morocco Creates the Life-Saving Outdoors
Rapper-Endorsed Flame Stove Campaigns
Snoop Dogg Presents Solo Stove's Blunt Marketing Campaign
Debunking AI Apps
BSBot Helps Publicis Clients Tell the Truth About AI from Fiction at Cannes
Classic Ad Campaign Revivals
Seagram's 7 Crown is Reviving Old Ads for Its New Campaign
Subtle Marketing Pop-Ups
FOMO Nudge Encourages Users to Buy with Subtle Pop-Ups
Provocative Eco Screensavers
Planet-Saving Screen Savers Encourage Switching Off Devices
Grocery Store Ad Spots
Morrisons, the UK Supermarket Chain, Celebrates Its Low Pricing in This Ad
Blood Center Campaigns
Markham Yard Releases the Blood Center Campaign to Inspire Donations
Phone-Based User-Targeted Campaigns
PlugSMS Helps Users Launch Campaigns From Their Phones
Business Slogan Generators
The Slogan Generator Will Create a Catchy Slogan for Any Business
Poster Creation Templates
MakePoster Offers a Range of Design Options to Cater to Various Needs