Why Do Wild Postings® and Other Visual Ad Formats Rely on Images?
Why not use more copy? Or a mix of copy and visuals?
According to CapitalOutdoor.com, the average person spends just four seconds looking at a billboard. While Wild Postings® may capture attention slightly longer, the window is still extremely short.
Research by 3M found that visuals are processed up to 600,000 times faster than text. That speed advantage explains why outdoor advertising relies so heavily on imagery.
That said, copy isn’t forbidden in outdoor advertising. Like most creative disciplines, there are exceptions.
When Copy Works: Wordplay That Sticks
Ever had a jingle stuck in your head after hearing a radio ad?
Catchy phrases, rhymes, and repetition help messages stick—and this doesn’t only apply to audio advertising.
In Oklahoma, the state soccer association leaned into playful wordplay using a familiar cultural figure: Bigfoot. Their billboard featured a soccer field, a giant footprint, and a ball, paired with the line:
“Find Your Big Foot.”
The result? A memorable campaign that built awareness while entertaining passersby.
Less Is More
Bethesda, the studio behind Skyrim and Fallout, transitioned Elder Scrolls Online to a free-to-play model.
Rather than overexplaining, their Wild Posting® campaign used just three words:
Free to Play
Paired with striking imagery, the message instantly communicated the game’s biggest benefit—appealing both to new players and lapsed fans.
If your product has a single, compelling advantage, say it quickly and let the visuals do the rest.
Add Pizzazz to Make Copy Memorable
In a 2005 study, psychologists Paul W. Foos and Paula Goolkasian found that people recall images more easily than printed words. In fact, plain text had a recall rate of under 40%.
However, when words were presented in visually interesting ways—unusual fonts, stylized layouts, or unexpected formatting—recall jumped to nearly 50%.
The takeaway? In outdoor advertising, how copy looks often matters more than what it says.
So, Do Wild Postings® Need Copy?
The short answer: no.
Visuals consistently outperform text in outdoor environments. But when used strategically, copy can enhance—or even elevate—a Wild Posting® campaign.
If you choose to use text, follow these guidelines:
- Keep it concise. A few powerful words beat a paragraph.
- Design the copy. Typography, color, and layout matter.
- Highlight one key benefit. Make it instantly clear why it matters.
When done right, copy doesn’t compete with visuals—it amplifies them.
