Absolut Vodka scores big again in the originality department! This billboard appeared on a Manhattan street with the entire contents of a studio apartment attached to it. Add in the cross-promotional aspect by having all the contents from IKEA (check out their mobile advertising in our ad labs) and you have a sure-fire winner.

Behold - one of the best Billboard buzz marketing campaigns I have ever seen. This and other billoboards like it showed up in large cities around the US. Pictures of them passed quickly across web and it was learned that it was a PR campaign for a new reality show called “that Girl Emily” by Court TV. They even used Google’s free blogging software to create a “real” blog of Emily. I think they started to get a bit over the top when the supposed video of Emily’s husband made it to Youtube.

As the public develops ad-blindedness to the bevy of outdoor advertising campaigns thrown at them, we are forced to become more unique in our efforts. I’ll be interested to see how this turns out for increasing the ratings of the show. If anyone gets to see the Neilsen ratings for this show, please post them along with some baseline figures for comparison.

I thought - “Genius!” We are usually trying to filter out advertising. By bouncing small inflatables at a concert, the people we are trying to reach are either trying to touch our advertisement, or are trying to defend themselves from it. Either way, they are looking…

How could a company take this advertising one step further?

Get customized balloons shaped like your product. Of course this is a greater investment, but it may be well worth the expense for companies trying to tap into certain demographics.

• Maryland Outdoor Advertising Regulations
• Virginia Outdoor Advertising Rules

If you have any other listings (local, national, etc.), please leave them in the comments section. If you are looking for a particular one, use the search this page feature in your browser.

The only drawback is that I usually see these billboard advertisements up well past the conference date. This usually happens for the following reasons:

• Minimum time slot required - if so, we need a new negotiator. If I am the next advertiser in line for that particular billboard advertising space, I don’t care if my ad goes up on the 1st of the month or the 5th… so long as they prorate the cost.
• Branding purposes for perennial conferences - I would like to know how that works out. If you employ this strategy, tell us your experiences in the comment section below. I could think of better ways to spend the money, such as increased database segmentation of those who attended, enticing continued contact from previous participants, and using them for viral marketing (bring-a-friend discounts, find out what company they work for to contact their HR dept, etc)
• The advertising provider does not want bare billboards showing - I am not going to tell anyone what they should do with their company, but as an advertiser, I am more motivated by the opportunity - seeing an open billboard, thinking, “Hey, my company could advertise right there!”

I am curious as to how well these impact registrations for certain events. I will be keeping watch for more in my area, but if your organization experiments with billboard advertising for conferences, add any relevant data to the commments section below.

• 98% of respondents were positive or neutral towards seeing ads in restroom facilities. (goes back to liking to read while “indisposed”)
• 92% could name specific advertisers without prompting.
• 88% recalled multiple selling points in the ads surveyed.
• 84% recalled seeing specific advertisements in the washrooms.

Source: Audits & Surveys Worldwide study

Reading is quite commonplace within the confines of a bathroom, and those polled even appreciate something to view. Adding to bathroom advertising’s effectiveness is that the audience is “pre-qualified” by the activities in which they participate. For example, travelers, bar and restaurant patrons, sports fans, etc. have discretionary income that the advertisers are looking for.

“If you went to the restroom three times, you’d read it again and again. Not only can indoor billboards reach a very discerning customer, but they’ve got that customer’s undivided attention.”

- Inc.

Bathroom Advertising Methods

The traditional forms of bathroom advertising included placing billboards and posters in toilet stalls, above urinals, and sinks. The advertising then moved to urinal mats and condom wrappers. Now, outdoor advertising companies are moving to multimedia presentations of sound and video, and are utilizing new techniques to break through the competition for our attention and the inevitable ad-blindedness that occurs as markets mature. There are even marketing companies which specialize in prowling the men’s and ladies rooms of America looking for prime advertising real estate for their clients. While the advertising spend in the United States is still relatively small in comparison with other marketing mediums substantial growth is projected.

“The ads reach the audience most coveted by advertisers: 21-35 year olds who like to go out and spend money. Restroom ads also allow companies to target a gender with 100% accuracy.”

- Fortune

Clever Bathroom Advertising Examples

• Saatchi & Saatchi (Sao Paulo) for Natan Jewelry Shop produced an unusual ambient campaign by placing a clear decal with the picture of an exquisite women’s necklace rougly neck-high on a women’s bathroom mirror. This enabled the woman to stand at the sink and “try it on.”
• The “pee on Playstation” game
• A new ABC-TV campaign speaks to men through the urinal, telling jokes like: “Oh my God, look at the size of that thing!’’ and “Hey, watch your shoes!”
• A recent men’s room campaign for Kozmo advises, “That Girl’s a bitch. Why don’t you go home and rent a movie?”

“Now Madison Avenue had invaded the restroom. It’s surprising nobody has thought of this before.”

- Newsweek

Cost of Bathroom Advertising

Averages around $1.13 CPM (USD)
Print avg. $2-7 CPM
Radio avg. $8-13 CPM
Television avg. $10-44 CPM
CPM = cost per 1000 impressions, or viewings

“Restroom advertising is naturally an efficient medium for targeting strictly male or female audiences.”

- Adweek

Negative Opinions regarding Bathroom Advertising

• Vandalism - may be more prevalent in public restrooms, and there may be hidden costs of replacing damaged campaigns or of distractions from the intended message due to grafitti.
• Negative opinions - of course some see the marketing as intrusive. There is no shortage of “rant” blog postings against bathroom advertising.

If your organization advertises at any of the following venues, then Inflatable Billboard Advertising may be an option worth reviewing.

• Sporting Events
• Concerts
• Movie Premiers
• Beaches
• Commercial Waterways
• Fairs and festivals
• Projection Screens
• Conventions
• Ski Slopes

Benefits of Inflatable Billboard Advertising

• Mobile Inflatables are easy to move and sets up in roughly 15 minutes, provides a flexible alternative for event advertising.
• Typically the cost of one inflatable billboard is comparable with leasing 2 to 3 inflatable signs which allows for advertising at several locations.
• Inflatable signs usually allow for advertising on both sides, in comparison to roadside billboards which only are seen from one.
• Modern models can often withstand winds of up to 50 mph (80 kph)

• add messages that confuse or distract from the primary message/call to action
• stack lines of text - remember the reader is passing at up to 75 miles per hour
• use more than 7 words (if possible)
• use more than 3 elements (if possible)
• be unoriginal - using different sizes, shapes, and extensions catch the reader’s eye (example of Chick-fil-A cows)
• Crowd text - use proper spacing between letters