Billboard advertising plays a dominant role for businesses that want to run an outdoor advertising campaign. Although such campaigns can also include other means of marketing and advertising, you definitely want to put your ads on life-size displays for everyone to see. This is what a billboard brings to the table.
If you are looking for a solution to outdoor advertising in Gauteng, Brand IQ is your comprehensive answer. Not only do we have a wide selection of billboard locations, but we also provide accommodating services that cover billboard skin production, design and layout elements, and installations. Today, we discuss the history of the billboard and why it is such an effective method of advertising for your business.
Where Did the Billboard Start?
- Painted Wall Notices: In ancient Rome, people would paint noticeboards on the walls of structures to serve as public announcements. This method continued all the way through to the 18th century, where European merchants made use of handbills and pasting posters on the walls of public buildings.
- Jared Bell: Circa 1835, Jared Bell printed the very first large-format billboard poster to promote the circus in New York City. This billboard poster was about 4,6 m² in size, which is relatively small in comparison to modern-day billboards. However, for the early 19th century, it was something brand-new that established large-scale lithographic printing, specifically for outdoor advertising purposes.
- Standardisation: During the mid to late 19th century, dedicated wall space was allocated for outdoor advertising purposes. Moreover, such wall space was created from standardised wooden wall structures. In 1893, the introduction of the standardised 24-sheet poster format was introduced in Chicago, which was the beginning of outdoor ad campaigns for businesses.
- The 20th Century: At the beginning of the 20th century, the mass production of vehicles, such as the Ford Model T, led to the construction of national highway networks across the world. Suddenly, the land next to these highways became highly valued commodities. The Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA) were the ones who initially standardised advertising billboard panel sizes, which led to the creation of the classic highway billboard.
- The Golden Age of Outdoor Advertising: During the 1960s to 1990s, marketing agencies started applying creativity and storytelling to billboard ads. Sequential ads were used to tell a story and sell a product or a service more efficiently, much like we use slideshows and short-form videos today. During this time, zoning and distance guidelines were established for roadside billboards as well.
- The Present: Today, we utilise digital billboards to display a variety of media formats and allow multiple advertisers to get their ads on a single billboard. Digital outdoor advertising has its own unique set of benefits. However, if you still want to use static billboard advertising, Brand IQ offers both for your next outdoor ad campaign.
Brand IQ is your definitive solution to outdoor advertising in Gauteng. Please browse our website for details on our available locations and feel free to contact us today if you are interested in our advertising services for your business. Let your brand reach new heights with us by your side.
