Ch. 13 ~ Billboards

I think that the reason for the increase in outdoor advertising spending is due to the fact that this is where marketers can really be creative. Not only is it more likely that a person will look at a billboard, due to the fact that they can't turn the channel or flip a page, but it seems like extremely creative advertisements become a part of our culture. There have been so many times when I am talking to my friends and family, and they ask if I have seen a specific billboard, or tell me to watch for it the next time I am traveling. I still remember the outdoor advertisements that I saw in New York City 10 years ago! I also remember how people just stopped and stared at these billboards and displays, because places like Times Square were, and still are, THE place for creative outdoor advertising. I think another factor that plays into this increase is the fact that more and more people are working, specifically more two income families. Now that people are spending more time outside of the home, they may have less time to watch television, or read a magazine. So, this leads to more outdoor advertisements. This increase also leads to an increase in the number of total people that will see this display, which makes this form of advertising well worth the cost. I think that as technology advances, we will see even more outdoor advertising, perhaps with an emphasis on interaction with the viewer. With items such as smart phones and iPads, the sky is the limit.



I also just wanted to include this video by Nokia that was shown at this year's SXSW. It is an outdoor video advertisement on a building, to promote the new levels of Angry Birds the company was going to be offering. I think this really demonstrates just how creative some companies are in utilizing outdoor advertising.

Chapter 14 Direct Marketing Piece

Well, this is the only direct marketing piece I received in the mail in the past week. It is for Furniture Studio's Twilight Tour of Homes. The piece did capture my attention. The weight of the paper used for this piece is heavier than a lot of the mail I receive, so it stood out from the stack. The picture on the front also captured my attention. It shows a very beautiful home, and I really like when a picture is black and white, with a few pops of color, in this case, it was the items that were a burnt orange or brown color. However, this piece did not really reach me, or anyone in my family, as a consumer. Nobody in my family has ever gone to Furniture Studio, which is made obvious by the fact that this was sent to "Current Resident". Also, we've never really been interested in attending the tour of homes since we've been up here, which has been five years now. I think if my family was looking for something to do on this date, we may consider going. However, this piece of mail would most likely be thrown away by this date, so if we were to go, we would be more likely to be influenced by a radio ad or billboard that we hear or see closer to the day of the tour of homes.