Outdoor graphics is one of the fastest growing segments of the printing and marketing industry, due mostly to the expanded capabilities of today’s digital printing technology, the integration of digital technology* with outdoor signage and the commercial success of outdoor advertising.

Some of you may be thinking, “what does this have to do with me and my company?” Well, my friend, it matters because – like social media – it is an increasingly successful marketing technique. No matter what industry you are in, marketing is and always will be important.

Outdoor Graphics Trend #1: Wider variety of materials

Due to the advancement in today’s digital print technology, there is a greater variety of (and better quality) outdoor signage. UV-printed material is becoming the new norm for large-format posters and banners as it protects the substrates from the sun. Prints that are not UV-resistant tend to fade, making the graphic difficult to read and your advertisement less effective. Faded colors give less of a “pop” for viewers, and thus less of an impact.

You can tell the large poster and banner above are UV-printed by their high shine.

Mesh is being used more frequently in outdoor advertisements, as its tiny air holes allow wind to flow through the graphic and create less of a force against it.

Similar to mesh, fabric is gaining in popularity. It has more longevity than other types of signage and does not create glare.

Outdoor Graphics Trend #2: Integration with digital technology

Digital technology is desirable because of its interactive and data collection capabilities, while printed displays have a certain aesthetic that many advertisers still prefer. Thus, more companies have been combining the two to receive the benefits of both digital and print displays.

For example, a well-known billboard in London created by agency WCRS, Women’s Aid and Ocean Outdoor used facial recognition to recognize when people were paying attention to the image of a bruised woman. As more people looked at the ad, her injuries healed faster, insinuating that it’s wrong to turn a blind eye to domestic violence. The advertisement received much more success, attention and press than it would have with a print advertisement alone.

Here’s a video if you would like to see how the billboard changes:

Outdoor Graphics Trend #3: Increase in Commercial Success

More and more people are recognizing the benefits of out-of-home advertising. According to Epic Outdoor Advertising, OOH advertising is more cost-effective than any other type of advertising, it is the only type of advertising that has constant exposure, and it has a larger audience than any other type of advertisement.

Consider car decals. According to the American Trucking Association, vehicle ads generate more than 600 visual impressions for every mile driven. That’s hundreds of thousands of impressions per year!

Vehicle ads don’t have to be big. Bumper stickers generate just as many impressions, and they are a lot less expensive.

At least for us, door graphics requests have increased. What better way to brand or advertise your company than to do it right when people walk in the door?

According to Richard Romano with What They Think, construction site graphics have become especially popular. Downtown Nashville, in particular, has construction sites on almost every corner. These sites are valuable advertising space for the owners of the property, and it would be a waste not to use it.

Now that you know the trends in outdoor graphics, are you ready to get started with your out-of-home ads?

– The amp team

*Although this may be a no-brainer for some of our readers, there is a difference between “digital technology” and “digital print technology.” Digital is making use of or relating to computers or computerized technologies, while digital printing is a type of printing that is meant for small-run or medium-run jobs and has a faster turnaround time than offset printing.