Outdoor Advertising is one of the oldest forms of the advertising verticals. Outdoor 1-sheet posters were hung in stores and on bulletin boards announcing events in small towns.

With the growing demand on outdoor advertising to perform, the outdoor media companies are answering the call. Many of them realizing that they compete for a piece of the overall advertising budgets, find creative solutions to deliver measurements. This trend in the industry to become more accountable has created well streamlined media companies that are responsive to advertisers needs. Providing valuable research on target demographics and insight into the markets landscape where they service, are valuable intellectual properties shared freely.

The array of outdoor media products are commanding tools for the advertiser. The lower costs associated by media placements can stretch an advertising budgets further in reach that other traditional forms of TV, Radio and Print. Whole companies brand image can be built on the creative ads placed on outdoor advertising. Before the famous Snapple ads came out on TV, the ads ran on billboards, and bus shelters to create consumer awareness with corresponding radio spots. Consumer demand for the flavored all natural tea prompted sales in equal effect, providing the larger ad dollars for the TV budgets that propelled the brand to the top in the 1990's. In the turn of the century Nissan, combining colorful billboards featuring cultural displays on billboards, bus shelters, bus ads drove traffic to an online media platform web site address. The synergy created mass market awareness for the newly redesigned Nissan Altima. For those who live in the top 20 DMAs of this country, might remember the wrapped taxi cabs for the little known campany named "Yahoo" traveling in the dense cities in the late 90's early 2000's.

More recently outdoor advertising can be seen in story lines of Sex in the City, on buses featuring Sarah Jessica Parker in pretty pink against blue. On the highly successful show the "Apprentice" ads for HotJobs.com with bright red and yellow logo fits within the theme of the show. Ads on dry cleaning bags even made its tv debut on Desperate Housewives. Not just to be seen on the TV shows, many examples of outdoor advertising are featured in the commercials too. Recently Capital One featured a black Mobile Billboard sailing across the view of the camera, and used a large spectacular billboard with the Capital One proudly against a light blue background. Demonstrating that even in commercial use outdoor advertising can communicate quickly in the precious 30 or 60 second commercial spot.

As reports of the growth continue to build to billions in advertising budgets, this vertical is proving a smart buy by advertising agencies. This financial outlook is far better than a short 15 years ago, but the companies that offer outdoor advertising as far better then 15 years ago as well. Media companies with refined tracking and reporting, market and demographic research, and accountability build buyer confidence. The future of the industry is a solid blue chip in the stock of the advertising community.

Great Outdoor Network.com is a B2B network for the out-of-home advertising industry. We connect all associations of outdoor advertising into a resource tool with free access to information. Our information is intended to share valuable insight to enhance the knowledge of the best uses and practices of our industry. Outdoor Advertising is an industry to be fully explored.