by Sam Marasigan and Shalin Patel
In the highly competitive world of modern advertising, capturing the attention of audiences requires more than flashy concepts or designs. Since businesses want to keep up with quite a fast-paced landscape, they are always on the lookout for innovative or memorable ideas in order to stay ahead of the curve. An advertising technique that businesses love to use in recent years are mobile billboards. Mobile billboards are essentially the eye-catching advertisements you see mounted on trucks or trailers, driven around your busy city streets.
Source: Movia.media
Opting for mobile billboards can be a highly effective way to reach a large audience and generate buzz around your brand. However, creating a successful mobile billboard campaign requires a different set of strategy that may vastly differ from traditional advertising methods. If you want your brand to be top-of-mind for many, not only do you need attention-grabbing visuals—you also need copywriting that packs a punch.
If you’re experiencing copywriter’s block, it may be helpful to refresh your mind with some copywriting tips. Crafting powerful and effective mobile billboard advertisements will grab the attention of your target audience and deliver real results. Whether you are a small business owner or a marketing professional, great writing can help you create mobile billboard ads that are not only eye-catching but also persuasive and meaningful, resulting in increased brand awareness and customer engagement.
Research your core audience
A surefire way to make your mobile billboard campaign effective is to tailor your message to your target audience. This means you have to know who you’re talking to first, by considering their needs, wants and interests. Once you are familiar with the preferences of the people you’re trying to reach with your mobile billboard, you can craft a message that resonates with them more effectively.
To better understand who your target demographic is, research is a must. Knowing their needs and interests will help you have an idea what they want precisely from your products and services, as well as how to talk to them. Inquire as to what motivates them to take action, as well as what kind of language and visuals are most likely to connect with them. Knowing the answer to these questions will help you create a message that speaks directly to your audience and increases the likelihood that they will be persuaded to engage with your brand as a result of seeing your ad.
It is vital to have a sense of familiarity as to what your target demographic finds appealing whenever they see ads catered to them. For example, if you’re targeting a younger demographic, you might use more informal language and brighter, trendier visuals. This strategy may not be optimal for an older demographic, who might prefer traditional language and a more muted, classic look.
It only goes to show that researching first can make a world of difference for your campaign. An example is Movia’s campaign with Leafythings, an online directory for cannabis dispensaries and delivery services, where a clever reference to a popular marijuana strain is used for target customers to appreciate.
Source: Movia.media
In relation to knowing what’s current for your audience, another tactic to tailor your message is paying attention to the location and timing of your mobile billboard campaign. If you are targeting commuters during rush hour, your message might focus on time-saving tips or products that make their commute easier. If you’re eyeing people who are new to the area, your message might focus on local attractions.
Another tip that may be overlooked is being mindful of the cultural context of your target audience. Different cultures interpret certain messages or visuals differently, so it’s important to back your writing with research and make sure your message is appropriate and effective for the people seeing your ad.
Lastly, an effective way to convey your message to your target audience is to use live data and analytics to understand their behaviors and preferences. For example, Movia is a mobile billboard company equipped with advanced tools that can help you view analytics you can use to understand what your target audience is interested in or what kind of messaging they most likely respond to.
Chiseling your message to better fit your target audience is essential to creating a powerful mobile billboard campaign. Take into account the needs, interests, and preferences of your potential customers, and do not forget to utilize language and visuals that will appeal to them. Think about the location and timing of your campaign, as well as the cultural context of your audience, and use data and analytics to inform your next sensational ad with even better copywriting.
Less is often more
Since a mobile billboard is constantly on the move, you have to be swift in capturing the attention of your target audience, so it’s important to make the most of that time. By keeping your copy short and sweet and focusing on the most important information, your ad has a higher chance of creating a more lasting impression.
The way to do this is to have a word limit. Around a maximum of 7 words per line may do. This will require you to make the most of each word. It will also help ensure that your ad is easy to read and understand quickly, even from a distance and while on the move.
Another way to keep your ad copy short and to the point is to focus on the most important information. Consider the key message or benefit that you want to convey to your target audience, make sure that your language is clear and simple, and eliminate words that are unnecessary.
When writing a mobile billboard copy, the font size and style you use also plays a huge factor regarding its effectiveness. You can have simple messaging, but a font that is hard to read from a distance and a small size can greatly hinder the potential of the copywriting in your campaign. Make it a point to check that your message is legible, and steer clear of using complicated or fancy fonts that may be difficult to read. For example, Movia with The Egg Farmers of Ontario got straight to the heart of the campaign with a core message.
Finally, the copy should mesh well with the overall design and layout of your mobile billboard. Depending on the strategy of your ad, you can place the copy in a prominent location on the billboard. You can take advantage of the concept of whitespace to make it stand out even further. Get back to basics with design rules, such as using contrasting colors to make your message pop. Your advertisement should not be too complicated to the point that it is no longer effectively communicating with your audience. It should remain cohesive from your copy to the mesmerizing visuals.
Keeping your mobile billboard copy short and to the point is important to keep the attention of your target audience. Provide only the most important information, and use a font and visuals that are easy to grasp from a distance. By following these tips, you can create a message that can stay in the mind of your potential customers.
Focus on benefits, not on features
Source: trulydeeply.com.au
When it comes to advertising, it’s easy to fall into the trap of listing out the features of your product or service and hoping that customers will be swayed by its specs. However, this approach can often fall short, especially when it comes to advertising on wheels.
Whatever stage of the marketing funnel your outdoor advertising efforts are aimed at, you want your customers to resonate with what you’re selling, so it only makes sense to talk about what the customers truly care about.
Given that mobile billboards have a limited amount of time to catch their audience’s attention, it’s essential to focus on the benefits of your product or service rather than its features.
Your potential customers are looking for products or services that can improve their lives or solve a problem they’re facing. That’s where good copywriting really makes a difference.
If your billboard copies only focus on the features of the product or the service, you’re missing out on a potential opportunity to connect with your audience on an emotional level and show them how your product or service can make their lives better.
When crafting mobile billboard copy, it’s important to use language that puts the customer at the centre of the message. Use words like “you” and “your” to make the copy feel more personal and relatable.
For example, “ Our new iPhone has 5G capabilities”, it would be better to say “ Enjoy lightning-fast downloads & smooth streaming with our 5-G enabled new generation of iPhones”.
When you’re writing the ad copies, makes sure to lead the process with your customers’ paint points. It’s what will make the difference.
Tell a story
Source: Pinterest
I know what you must be thinking, why focus on trying to make the ad copies sound like a story?
Stories simplify complex messages and make abstract concepts more concrete.
But more importantly, to catch people’s eyes instantly, and keeping them hooked to it, there’s no better way to it than telling a good story.
For example, in the above shown truck ad of KitKat, it is instantly captivating to the eye. Not only they’re enticing passerbys to think of eating a kitkat when they need a break , they’re doing in an amusing fashion. Talk about a clever tactic!
For the truck billboard ads, passersby have a few seconds to try to relate to what your ads are trying to convey. For instance, imagine you’re trying to promote a new product through your billboard ads. For them to understand these new ideas in a fraction of a time can be confusing; that’s where telling stories comes to play.
Let’s face it, who doesn’t love a good story?
Storytelling is a powerful asset which you can easily harness to connect with the audience. Through stories, you can evoke emotions and inspire people to take action, be it as simple as invoking their curiosity, which can supposedly leave them checking out your socials or checking out your brand on your website in detail.
It is a scientific fact that stories can change our behaviour because they engage our emotions. Telling stories just doesn’t cut it, you have to ensure that your target audience can emotionally relate with it.
But make sure not to go overboard with it. You’re not writing the next great fantasy novel here. Keep the stories short, simple, relevant and humorous!
On top of that, When brands keep it real and get transparent with their audience, it makes them seem more human and authentic- the cherry on top!
Mobile billboards are a really effective tool. Make sure to tell your story right, and make it fun for the viewers!
A Clear Call-To-Action
Back in the day, David Oglivy sold every Rolls Royce in America using his masterful copywriting skills. He didn’t just try to help brands sell products, he sold dreams with his advertising intelligence.
On an end note, the ad said, ‘If you would like the rewarding experience of driving a Rolls-Royce, write or telephone to one of the dealers listed on the opposite page’.
A simple invite to book a test drive, and one of the most crucial aspects of the advert. Oglivy knew the ad had to sell cars, as many as possible- the invite would make potential customers end up at the dealerships.
The point is, don’t confuse your viewers. If you’re going to include a call-to-action in your mobile billboards, make sure it capitalises on the pain points of your potential customers, such that you can use that to your advantage in order to direct them to take the necessary action you desire.
Source: Pinterest
For example, a call to action on the truck billboard can be:
Amazon Ad copy: “Too busy to shop? Amazon Prime has you covered”
Call-to-action: “Sign up for Amazon Prime and enjoy fast, free shipping on millions of items”.
Conclusion
Mobile billboards are like a rolling canvas just waiting for you to shed a ray of creative light across it. But to make the most out of this advertising medium, it’s essential to craft compelling copy that resonates with your audience, focuses on the benefits of your product or service, tells a story, and includes a clear call to action. By following these copywriting tips, you can easily create mobile billboard ads that not only catch people’s attention but also inspire them to take action.
When you’re getting ready to launch your truck advertising campaign, don’t forget to focus on the most important part – the message that your target audience will see. Make sure to put a lot of thought into the content of your ad copies and how it will resonate with your potential customers.
