Table Of Contents
- Definitions of Wild Posting
- Is Wheatpasting Illegal?
- Wheatpasting
- Wheatpaste Poster
- Wheat Posting
- Wild Posters
- Flyposting
- Bill Posting
Definitions of Wild Posting®
Wild Posting® is a trademarked outdoor advertising form which is putting up a bunch of the same static posters in one urban location to draw people’s attention.
When you look closer, there are nuances between all these terms. You can learn a lot about the campaign and the location based on what they’re called.
We’ve put together this guide on definitions of words related to Wild Posting® to give you better insight into what all these terms mean and how you can use them. Having the right vocabulary at your disposal makes it more likely you’ll understand what you’re paying for and how to gauge the success of you are not illegal campaign.
Is Wheatpasting Illegal?
Let’s get this out of the way first. No, wheatpasting, Wild Posting® and flyposting are not illegal. Would we tell you to do something illegal?
We can understand why you’d ask. The medium is a form of guerilla advertising, and a lot of those tactics aren’t borderline legal. But you can relax, you’re not going to get arrested or anything if you use wheatpasting to promote a concert.
These days, many building owners function as vendors, leasing out their space to agencies like ours to cover with posters. And since we’ve been doing this for a while, we know the best, highest-trafficked areas to find space across all the major urban destinations.
Don’t try to do this yourself or with a below-board, cut-rate Wild Posting group. You don’t want to pay for a campaign that’s going to get torn down by the building owner or papered over immediately by another Wild Posting. Using a vendor that understands the landscape and can assure you won’t face vandalism charges is essential to an effective campaign.
Wheatpasting
Wheatpasting relies on wheatpaste to attach the posters to the barricades or building. Wheatpaste is made from wheat flour and water that’s boiled to create a thick paste that adheres the paper.
One popular alternative to wheatpaste is wallpaper adhesive, which you can find at a home improvement store. It costs about the same as making wheatpaste, though some people enjoy the old school approach and feel of wheatpaste.
Wheatpaste Poster Definition
The posters you use with wheatpaste are referred to as wheatpaste posters. They’re lightweight and usually made with screen or digital printing. You can apply them to anything, but they stick better to some surfaces than others. Brick and wood are among the least effective surfaces.
The most effective include:
- Glass
- Metal
- Stucco
Concrete is also tough, though if there are previous wheatpaste posters stuck there, you may have an easier time posting over them
Wheat Posting
Wheat posting refers to using wheatpaste in your Wheatpasting. You can use a bottle to squeeze wheatpaste on the backs and stick them to the wall, making sure to smooth them so they have a firm grip
on the surface. The cleaner the surface, the better the paste will stick.
Wild Posters
Wild posters come in a variety of formats. Depending on the goal of your campaign, you may use one or more of these:
• Single: These are generally 24 inches x 36 inches, and they include an image and copy—though not a lot of copy. Most wild posters rely mostly on pictures to tell the story. You can paste lots of these in a small area to gain attention.
• Monsters: These huge posters, generally about 72 square feet, have a similar sit-up-and-take-notice impact as a billboard, though they’re cheaper.
• Mini-monster: Smaller but still attention-grabbing, these big posters measure 48 inches x 72 inches and can be grouped together on a building.
• Tearpads: Part of the popularity of Wild Posting is that “slightly outside the law” vibe, and tearpads give people the opportunity to walk away with part of the campaign. They are stacks of posters that people can tear away to take home.
Flyposting
Flyposting is often used in the UK. While buildings and barricades are the most popular locations for flyposting, you can also find them in:
- Bus shelters
- Stairwells
- Railings
- Benches
What is Bill Posting?
Bill Posting is a generic term for Flyposting or Wheatpasting. Many advertisers use these terms interchangeably, but know that fewer people use the term Bill Posting than any of the others to describe Street Posters.
Types of Street Posters
Domination
Dominations are Wild Posting campaigns dedicated to a single client where you essentially “own the street.” It’s a long space, 50 feet or so, where people see only your advertising. You may have 40 or more posters in the area. The more creative and imaginative the pictures and the simpler the copy, the more attention you will receive.
Permitted
Permitted posting, as we alluded to above, occurs in an area where the landlord has given their permission for your campaign to run. You have paid for the privilege. You might get space on construction barricades or an actual building.
We love campaigns that combine practicality with imagination. You want your posters in the space where you will reach the right audience, and you also want to deploy them in creative combinations. Some ideas:
- The same message printed on different-colored posters
- Posters arranged in a heart or diamond
- Posters arranged in the shape of a word pertinent to the campaign
Non-Permitted
It then follows that non-permitted is Wild Posting® you do not have a permit for. You can put these anywhere. But you might get in trouble for them. When we say in trouble, you may get a cease and desist
Post No Bills
Sometimes landlords insist on no Wild Posting®. They will put “Post No Bills” notices on their property to alert people not to cover them with posters—or face the consequences. In the UK, you will see this as “No Flyposting.”
Like so many other types of advertising, Wild Posting® relies on great imagination to deliver the best results. You can try new things, experiment and see what works. Whether you want to call it Wild Posting, bill posting or flyposting—we can assist you with all three! Get in touch today to discuss your options.
Related reading: Wheatpasting Services · Is Wheatpasting Legal? · The Ultimate Guide to Wild Posting · Wild Posting in Chicago
Wild Posting® in Action: Real Campaigns
The clearest way to understand wild posting is to see it work. These Wild Posting® campaigns show how street-level poster placements turn everyday city walls into high-impact media:
- Half Magic Beauty drove 49.5 million impressions across Los Angeles and New York for the brand’s limited-edition Euphoria collection, reaching Gen Z shoppers in the neighborhoods where they live.
- Erno Laszlo, a heritage skincare brand, used wild posting to build prestige and visibility in premium urban corridors.
- USC Athletics saturated campus-adjacent streets to rally students and fans around game day.
Curious what a run would look like in your city? Explore our coverage map or learn more about our flyer posting services.
Wild Posting® FAQ
Is wild posting legal?
Legitimate wild posting is placed on legal, contracted media space such as construction barricades, approved wall space, and venue-permitted locations, not random illegal fly-posting. A professional Wild Posting® partner secures the right to post so your brand stays protected.
How is wild posting different from a billboard?
A billboard buys a single large format above the street. Wild posting buys repetition at eye level: dozens of posters clustered through a neighborhood, so audiences see your message again and again as they walk, commute, and gather.
Who is wild posting best for?
Brands launching a product, entering a new market, or targeting a culturally engaged, hard-to-reach audience. Music, fashion, beauty, entertainment, and DTC brands all use wild posting to feel native to the street.
