Let’s face it: as a form of advertising display, construction site hoarding panels aren’t exactly the most glamorous! With the range of innovative OOH (out-of-home) marketing options available—from digital billboards and LED displays, to interactive ad terminals and motion-sensing poster ads—it’s probably fair to say that most advertisers don’t view hoarding boards as a high priority.
However, advertising hoardings actually offer a number of compelling advantages over billboards, street furniture ads, and similar OOH promotional methods. Their physical size and ubiquity across the country’s high streets and shopping centres make them a low-cost, high-impact form of promotion, with plentiful advertising opportunities for those businesses working with limited budgets.
In spite of the advantages, all too often potential hoarding advertisers learn that the routes into this form of marketing are ambiguous and obscure—that’s where a media buying agency like The Bank comes in!
At The Bank, our marketing specialists have the experience, the knowledge, and the industry savvy to get your hoarding campaign off the ground. Our network of creative specialists have worked with countless businesses like yours, developing display artwork that not only serves to promote the brand messages of their clients but which keeps people engaged across various different locations.
Contact us today to arrange a meeting with your new dedicated account manager. And in the meantime, why not take a look at our handy guide to all things related to ad hoardings?
What Is a Hoarding?
The term ‘hoarding’ refers to the temporary boards, barriers or fences which are erected around a construction site or building project. You know those large wooden barriers that keep the public from entering and protect them from falling debris..? Those are hoardings.
Although traditionally viewed as purely functional, hoardings are constantly evolving. As contractors and site managers recognise their potential for revenue generation, more and more they are erecting their hoardings with a view to renting them out as display space to advertisers. Printers are similarly focused on meeting this demand. Suppliers of building wraps, fence banners and larger-image printed site boards can be found across the UK, making manufacturing and installation a quick and simple process.
While to many these panels serve only to block construction sites from the public, to the savvy advertiser these blank canvases represent an interesting combination of safety barrier and promotional display.
The Benefits of Advertising Hoardings
Location
According to the Construction Regulations 2015, construction works cannot take place out in the open, or in a location with no defined boundary. As a result, anywhere which might see construction work will almost certainly also see hoardings.
Crucially, unlike billboard advertising (which tends to be found in the usual locations), advertising hoardings are often found in areas which contain little or no other outdoor advertising, but which are still viewed by a huge audience. When it comes to safety barriers in city and shopping centres, for example, hoarding and billboard advertising can be seen by tens of thousands of people each day.
These low-penetration locations offer huge potential for your brand to leverage hoardings for promotional purposes.
Cost
Compared to the cost of billboard advertising, a well-targeted hoarding campaign can offer much greater ROI. Many contractors and hoarding panel owners will look to recoup their investment any way they can, leaving the door open for marketers looking to snag a great deal.
Stand Out
Commonly, advertising hoardings consist of extremely large boards, installed at eye level. This gives plenty of scope for bold graphics and artwork, designed to arrest attention and maximise engagement.
If your brand prides itself on running only the most innovative advertising campaigns, hoarding billboards can be a highly unique weapon to keep in your promotional arsenal!
How Do I Start Using Hoarding Advertisements?
The question we hear most from our clients! Frustratingly, there isn’t a simple answer…
Firstly: who owns the hoarding? If a construction company is developing a set of houses, they may choose to use their hoardings to promote their development. Hoardings of this kind might prominently feature printed graphics showing spec images of finished houses. Similarly, many retailers will use their hoardings to display a preview of what’s coming in their store, effectively letting passers-by see a glimpse of what the new premises will look like, and informing them of when they can expect to see the finished work.
In instances such as these, requests for advertising space will normally be turned down. The goal is to seek out the contractors who see the opportunities for utilising their hoardings to earn them some extra revenue. These contractors are often open to taking bids from media buyers who want to let their display panels.
A media buying agency like The Bank can assist in getting your advertising hoarding campaign off the ground. Our team have the expertise and the industry contacts to get your advert up in front of the people who need to see it.
Designing Hoarding Graphics
When it comes to designing graphics for an advertising hoarding site, there are a few key things to consider:
Materials
The type of design you develop will depend on the type of hoarding panels which are in place.
Generally speaking, there are two main forms of hoarding found on sites in the UK: free-standing ‘meshed’ fences, commonly installed to provide temporary security; and traditional timber-faced plywood, usually erected around a construction project as a legal requirement.
Both forms of hoard can be easily repurposed as a sign for marketing, but it’s essential to know which of the various forms you will be working with prior to starting on your design.
Size and Height
How much space is available on your advertising hoarding?
Hoarding height usually varies with the terrain, but 2.3 meters is typical for hoardings in the UK. However, when it comes to covering shops, facades, scaffolding, or to ensuring safe walking paths, extended heights of between three and five metres are often found.
With size, this will depend on the number of hoarding panels that are available to you. Are you working with one display, or will you be promoting your brand across multiple sheets or hoarding boards? At The Bank, we will conduct a site survey so you can be confident your artwork will be right for the space.
Display Method
Hoarding billboards commonly utilise a print media form, usually Dibond, Foamex or Correx.
In an increasingly digital age, marketers want more from their brand engagement display, which is why an increasing number of hoarding billboards are employing digital elements. Whilst not quite at the level of fully digital billboards, hoarding graphics are more often found employing digital elements (LED and neon lighting, for example).
The display form you choose will impact the final design of your advertising hoarding, so make sure you have a clear idea before you proceed.
Using The Bank to Create Your Advertising Hoardings
When it comes to creating advertising hoarding billboards for your company, you want an agency who can cover all bases.
Strategy
Like any outdoor advertising campaign, when it comes to promoting your business via hoarding advertisements, it’s essential you have a firm strategy in place.
As a client of The Bank your account manager will work closely with you to map out a plan of attack, ensuring your business sees the greatest return on its investment.
Budget
Whilst hoardings tend to offer better value than billboard advertising, it’s still easy to over-spend. A marketing agency like The Bank can help you assess your finances, and develop a spending plan which will allow you to meet your goals and targets.
What’s more, by choosing us for your hoarding display campaign, you’ll get benefit from the economies of scale seen by all our clients.
Location
With The Bank, you’ll benefit from our industry-leading locality analysis and research strategies. We provide precise geographic targeting services to clients across the UK, ensuring your advertising hoarding is seen by the greatest number of relevant customers.
We will secure a range of locations which will work best for your company, whether you need only one or a nationwide range.
Negotiation
At The Bank, you can leave all the negotiation up to us!
Our team will liaise with their industry contacts to negotiate the terms of your hoarding, and ensure you get the best possible deal.
Design
At The Bank, our in-house design team and network of creatives can ensure your hoardings serve not only to promote your business, but to display a positive, engaging brand message.
Whether you want to advertise your company, or to provide public information; our graphic designers know how to turn construction projects into billboards which dazzle and inform.
The Bank: Advertising Hoarding and More…
For all your hoardings, billboards, and large-format advertisement needs, The Bank are here for you!
Our advertising experts are ready to use their experience and industry know-how to help your business advertise to the right people in the right way.
Our one-stop-shop service covers everything, from campaign strategy and location planning, to budgeting and creative work, to production and installation—we are on top of all your business’ large-format advert needs!
So if you’re ready to take your hoarding advertising to the next level, contact us today!
