I have been designing billboards for the past couple of days so I’m taking this opportunity to write about my process when I’m designing them and other advertisements. As a designer you want to catch the viewer’s eye, whether it be a poster, ads or billboards. You want to grab your audience’s attention. So remember, less is more. Uncluttered billboards usually achieve greater success. Ideally, your billboard design should consist of 3 main components: a captivating image, a unique slogan and your name, logo and contact info. Here are some tips to help you along in your design process.

1. Do your research

It’s important to know the product or company your designing for. Know the target audience and what kind of message they want the audience to get. Knowing your audience will give you the idea on what kind of design to make.

2. Amount of text: keep it short and sweet

Keep it simple and catchy. You do not want to cram a whole paragraph for those who will only have a few seconds to see it. Keep it to no more than 10 words, include the company name, slogan, info about the product and contact information. The fewer the words, the greater the chance they’ll understand, retain and recall your message.

3. Clean and simple font

Make sure your font is easy to read. Try to stay away from fancy font. It can come out unclear and illegible. Size is important too. Large fonts allow reading at greater distances, giving the viewer more time to process your message.

4. Choosing the right image

Try to find an image that will catch the viewer’s eye and is easily recognizable as well that embodies your company’s mission. Your graphics and message should be thought provoking.

5. Color

Use colors that can get the viewers attention. It’s important to make the text readable. Try to stick with contrasting color. Bold, highly contrasting colors help get you noticed. Like yellow and black. Avoid similar colors like blue and green. Also try using the company’s colors.

6. The Message

Don’t lose focus, remember your message. It is easy to get wrapped up in design and forget the main point. Remember to send the right message when designing. Use a short message that will be remembered by your viewers. Some even use humor in their works, which is most often effective.

I hope this helps!

Here are some examples of well designed billboards:

Examples of bad design: