In the UK, hoardings for construction sites are a legal requirement to protect the public from construction activity. There is confusion between the American and British definitions of advertising hoardings, as Americans use the word “billboard” interchangeably with “hoarding,” whereas in the UK, they have two different meanings.
In the UK, a hoarding is a protective barrier often used for construction activity and a billboard is a large advertising display found in various public spaces.
How are hoardings used for advertising and marketing?
Hoardings can be used in the exact same way as a billboard.
Both are often used to:
- promote products and services
- build brand awareness
- advertise events
- convey public service announcements
- advertise political campaigns
- display directional information
Hoardings don’t have to be used for monetary purposes. You can find them being used by schools, non-profits and local councils to display community artworks, poetry and important helpline numbers.
The advantage of hoardings
The main advantages of hoardings are:
- Hoardings are often much longer than billboards as they need to wrap around buildings such as shopping centres to cover up construction projects. This gives you the freedom to play around with longer large-format graphics.
- Construction activities can last between a few months to a few years. This means that your hoarding can be there for much longer than a standard billboard.
- Hoardings at ground level can create immersive experiences, making it extremely difficult for passers-by to ignore.
- There are fewer hoardings than billboards so when you see one they often stand out.
What makes an effective hoarding graphic?
An effective hoarding graphic ultimately depends on the context, audience, and purpose. It should capture attention, convey the message clearly, and leave a lasting impact.
Having clear goals and objectives will allow you to design and plan your campaign accordingly. If the purpose is to promote a specific product or service then a clear call to action such as a website, phone number, or social media handle is needed in order to let your audience know what to do next. If the purpose is to create brand awareness then your brand voice and imagery will need to be conveyed.
We always recommend investing in high-quality materials such as Dibond for outdoor advertising campaigns, as It’s sturdy and weatherproof.
Get in touch
Looking for a team of large-format print specialists to make your billboard or hoarding come to life? Contact the team at RMC Print on 01482 325003 to discuss your latest project.
