Billboards

I really enjoy creative billboards. What I like most about them is their simplicity. All the best billboards are simple. Below I've added a bunch of clever billboards and listed the various design aspects that make them great.

Readability. The content is large enough to read from a distance. When you're traveling 75 mph down the highway, it's unlikely that you're going to be able to read a novel on a big roadside board – although, I have seen this done before. The best billboards seem to have minimal content. They’ll have a website or a slogan and they’ll let the image/graphic do most of the informing. Hierarchy plays a big role here as well.

Attention grabbing. Because these billboard designs are so out-of-the-ordinary, they leave a lasting impression on the viewer. Even though they don’t have a ton of information on them, they are still informative and interesting. Like I said earlier, they are simple, but they make a strong statement.

Call to action. While some of these billboards don’t have a call to action written out the billboard, it clear what the company wants the viewer to do. In McDonald’s case, for instance, they’re asking the billboard viewer to eat at the restaurant. It’s not stated on the billboard itself, but the clock tells you what you could be eating at that time. 

Sometimes billboards only have a website listed on the billboard like quitplan.com. If you’re a smoker and you want to quit smoking, this billboard tells you where you can go to get help, but it's super simple.