Messages with Impact: Creativity in Traditional Outdoor Advertising Platforms in Castellón (Spain) and Warrington (UK)

Outdoor advertising is currently undergoing a transformation as both the variety and popularity of digital platforms increases. This will inevitably involve significant changes in both the conception and production of advertising materials designed for digital platforms, including ‘smartboards’. Notwithstanding the technological advantages of outdoor digital advertising platforms (such as the means to incorporate motion) in attracting the attention of audiences, as a consequence of the cost of this technology as well as logistical restrictions and strategic obstacles, it is expected that not all outdoor advertising supports will be digitalized. As explained by Creative Director David Thompson of Telling Stories: With the rise of digital technology, one might expect more animation and moving image to be attracting our attention. The fact is however that many companies won't spend a lot of money on expansive and expensive alternatives because the production of posters is much less expensive to roll-out across tens, hundreds or thousands of spots. Perhaps the fact that there is not yet any concrete evidence that expensive high tech solutions offer an adequate Return on Investment (ROI) explains why it isn't happening. (Thompson, 2012) Accordingly, traditional (reflective, print-based) materials and their (non-digital) platforms will continue to be widely used in outdoor advertising. It is necessary therefore, to recognise and exploit the unique characteristics of this medium in the design of the materials for non-digital platforms. To provide both advertisers (sponsors) and creatives with a set of guidelines to maximise the effectiveness of both traditional materials and non-digital platforms, this project has attempted to identify the factors that contribute to the effectiveness of these traditional materials and platforms, as well as the extent to which these factors are shaped by the cultural environments and contexts in which they are employed.Sánchez (2001) emphasizes that, due to the locations and context in which such materials are viewed, the message must be easily and quickly understood: “The power of outdoor media rests in its capacity to summarise the idea of an advertisement, a message, or a campaign – and so creativity is fundamental”. Sánchez (2001:12) José María Pujol, Executive Creative Director of The Farm described outdoor advertising as the only medium that permits a brand name to be incorporated into that audience’s physical environment, and that this feature has significant implications for the influence of the medium (and, by extension, the messages it carries) on the consumer (Pujol, 2003:11). Senior creative José Luis Esteo of the Remo advertising agency believes that the major problem with the effective use of outdoor advertising is in the way in which it is viewed by advertisers (sponsors): Being out in the street, outdoor platforms are fundamentally different than other advertising media. When the advertiser understands both the opportunities and challenges this presents, they may be prepared to allow creatives to propose much more effective uses of outdoors platforms. (Esteo, 2003:11) As a result, García (2001) observes that outdoor media demand more simplicity and economy in both visual design and language, both of which are the attributes of a good idea. He suggests that, “advertisers (sponsors) are also to blame as they expect only a physical multiplication of their logo or their product from this media”, and that therefore, these materials often fail to engender sufficient emotional resonance for their brand name. Exacerbating the situation, he also asserts that owners/operators of outdoor advertising supports are also implicated because, as a direct consequence of the high fees charged, they discourage experimentation with more innovative applications of the medium. “We should place a bouquet of flowers under all billboards, shelters etc., because we have effectively killed this medium. But, who cares anyway? Creatives want to film.” (García, 2001:18)