Tag: outdoor media

Sexy Selling in Less than 10 Words

June 15, 2009 Blog no comments

If this outdoor advertisement doesn’t catch your eye, I suppose nothing else will. No prizes for guessing what product they are pushing for! What’s more interesting though is how a seemingly simple advertisement like this follows the age-old rule of AIDA. In advertising parlance, this means Attention, Interest, Desire and Action.

1) Attention – Obviously a headline like this written in bright red on a yellow background catches one’s attention. The sentence is also provocative and uses one of the most attention grabbing word in the world (not sex but) – love.

2) Interest – In this case, the same headline also helps to stir one’s interest by using the phrase of “Making Love” and “Doing It…” which piques one’s curiosity.

3) Desire – Instilling desire (in those who are already naturally inclined) is done by weaving in words like “Longer” and “Try” which are positive building words. In other words, you can have your cake and eat it too.

4) Action – This of course is where the rubber hits the road (no pun intended), and the call for action is conveyed through the word “SMS ‘Try’ 1800 711 711”. When one is outdoors without access to the internet or pen and paper, the fastest way to do so is through SMS. And the sensitivity of the subject is such that people will probably find it easier not to have to speak to a ‘live’ person about wanting to “do it longer”!


Winning $10,000 on a Bus

November 21, 2007 Blog no comments

As a regular commuter on public buses and a marketer, I tend to notice the many different ways in which companies advertise their products and services. Increasingly, more and more purveyors of outdoor and out-of-home media are selling advertising spaces in practically every which way you turn.

Including beside the handles of buses, as you can see in the shot I took above. This ad is by AXS, and it offered to reward a subscriber every week with $10,000 of cold hard cash in return for using their services. Ordinarily I would only think about AXS when I have to pay a parking fine or my household bills, none of which are particularly pleasurable affairs.

Will this ad work? Well, it was literally right in my face that day. In terms of visuals and copy, this is probably as hard sell as it gets.

Personally, I thought that it was a little dangerous. Folks (especially the elderly) who needed to reach for the handles may end up pulling down one of these instead (and crash down to the floor). Hardly a way to build consumer goodwill, even if you have a chance to win $10,000.


An EX-traordinary Ad

August 28, 2007 Blog 3 comments

P1040681

See the bus stop ad above? It is part of the highly successful Yellow Ribbon campaign organised by a whole host of different agencies and NGOs, which aim to integrate ex offenders back into society. I remembered watching the TV commercial which was rather emotional and heartwarming.

What caught my attention was the bold black headline:


An Effective Ad

August 15, 2007 Blog 5 comments

P1040380

Spotted this huge, monstrous outdoor billboard plastered across People’s Park Complex. If this doesn’t catch your attention, I suppose nothing will. Great work by the Traffic Police which gets the message across and yet isn’t too gory or gruesome.


Wanted Ads

August 6, 2007 Blog 8 comments

P1040194

Spotted the above poster advertisement at a bus stop recently on my way home. A few years ago, such an advertising concept using headlines that screamed “WANTED”, “MISSING” or “REWARD” would probably have caught one’s attention. I remembered that SPH used this style of advertising way back in 2000 in a fund raiser called The Straits Times Million Dollar Duck Race. That involved putting up WANTED style ads with the cute rubber ducky featured.

Some of us may also be familiar with Starhub’s “Ringing Dog” campaign a few years ago. Then a cute pooch with a handphone in its tummy “went missing” and was featured on TV commercials, newspaper advertisements and posters. That ad was raved by some critics in marketing circles and managed to generate quite a stir.

I wonder though if Adtag’s poster above would generate as much interest. There is certainly a lot more clutter now, and the above concept is getting a little tired from years of misuse. Having said that, I like the interactivity that SMS offers (plus its free), as well as the use of humour that the ad above employs.


8 Ways to Advertise Outdoors

May 14, 2007 Blog 6 comments

In my recent series of posts, I have blogged about the increasing prevalence and popularity of outdoor advertising in Singapore. As cited in a recent survey, both taxi and bus advertising are on the increase. The growth in outdoor advertising has in fact led to the creation of its own awards – the Singapore Outdoor Advertising Award. It has also resulted in media behemoth Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) acquiring Media Box Office in 2005, allowing it to provide an integrated media solution to advertisers covering print, radio, online and outdoor channels.

As an advertising space, outdoor media opportunities have their pros and cons. I firmly believe that they do a lot of good for branding and positioning, as well as create greater consumer awareness. After all, most outdoor displays are highly visible, brand-driven, and specially designed to capture your attention. They are what I would call the widest end of the funnel – the first stop if you may to pique customer curiosity and generate interest.

The flip side about outdoor advertising is that it may be less effective in tactical and short-term campaigns. When you have a time-limited offer or promotion, TV, newspapers or flyers still work better. Often, the best integrated marketing communication campaigns employ a mix of outdoor, mass media, and on site marketing to generate the best response.


Moo-ing in the Wrong Pasture?

May 2, 2007 Blog 15 comments

P1010146
Colourful cows along River Valley Road below Fort Canning Park

Many would have noticed the return of the colourful cows in open fields in the city. Those of us in the marcoms profession may recognise these “moo-ing” mascots to belong to Moove Media, an outdoor advertising company owned by the transport behemoth ComfortDelgro group – a conglomerate which operates most of the buses and taxis in Singapore.

Apparently, these latest “herds” of cattles are part of an Adopt A Cow promotion that the company is running. You can actually bring home a cow at only S$100 each. What’s more, there are 5 of these cute cattle friends with different names to choose from.