5 Things To Know About Wild Posting Creative

“A picture is worth a thousand words.”

The idea that a complex meaning can be conveyed far more effectively with an image than words has been around longer than any of us can remember.

But old sayings don’t always reign supreme. Billboards, TV commercials, Wild Postings etc. Most products and their advertisements live or die by the image people see on them.

So, what makes an image (or creative) a masterpiece or just another piece of paper fluttering on your neighborhood construction site?

More importantly, how do you create something captivating for your company?

Here are some questions you should ask about your creative:

1. What Will Stand Out?

Most advertisements possess a specific venue ideal for its viewing audience or has a setup ideal for an ad to be seen by a large number of its target audience.

TV episodes have breaks that broadcast ads. Giant boards are built so that various ad companies can post their ads for the cars and people walking by. Magazines have pages specifically set aside for companies to post their products on.

There are other advertisements that don’t demand their audience’s total focus. Most Google ads are shown on the side and are often overlooked. Facebook ads are almost the same exact type of advertisement, except they are on Facebook.

Wild Postings have the potential to make a huge splash, but if your wording and creative lack a powerful punch, they can very easily be lost in the sea of stimuli.

It’s paramount that the first questions you ask yourself and your designer is, “how can I make my creative relevant and eye catching?” as well as, “what will make my creative stand out among competing ads?”

2. How Does it Make you Feel?

The adorable polar bears in Coke ads have all but disappeared. Nowadays, they show various people of different ages and nationalities enjoying themselves with a refreshing bottle of Coke.

The overwhelming feeling in these ads is happiness. That is why their tagline was “Open Happiness.” Coke has since changed that tagline to “Taste The Feeling”.

The top dog in soda is trying to get customers to associate Coke with a powerful and positive feeling.

Your Wild Posting should do the same.

As you traverse through the different ideas and options your designer presents to you, ask yourself how you feel about the creative. Do you feel happy, sad, excited?

While a captivating image is imperative, if the overwhelming feeling of your target audience is disgust while viewing your creative, sales are going to be low.

On the opposite end, a powerful feeling of euphoria could send droves of eager buyers knocking down your company’s doors.

Remember, people make decisions with the limbic system, or the emotional part of their brains. Keep that in mind as your choose your creative.

3. How Many?

If a picture speaks a thousand words, do you need more than one?

Some Wild Postings use more than one creative on their poster advertising. While the images are sometimes all the same and spread out across the page, at other times multiple creatives are scattered across the panels of the Wild Posting.

The decision ultimately comes down to your budget, designer and the people working on the campaign. Just don’t forget the goal of any Wild Posting: to get the attention of the person walking by it.

4. Size Matters Not

Yoda has a lot of famous quotes, including the memorable statement, “Size matters not.”

In any kind of marketing that includes poster advertising, it’s alluring to believe that the bigger the ad, the more eyeballs will see it.

But that’s not always the case.

Steve Jobs’ Dancing Silhouette is one of the great exceptions. Sure, there were versions of the Dancing Silhouettes that were big, but there were plenty more Wild Postings on the smaller side. And no matter the length or width, the iPod swinging shadow made an impact on whoever saw it.

Bigger doesn’t always equal more captivating. As they say, “the bigger they are the harder they fall.”

5. Your Creative Is Not a Commercial

The Wild Posting of the 2013 Treefort Music Fest Wild truly captures this idea perfectly.

In this Wild Posting, there is a picture of a sasquatch look-a-like with the word “Lost” in bold above the creative. The creature’s characteristics are displayed underneath a brief mention of the festival along with several slips of paper with the festival’s address. This Wild Posting gets people’s attention and is fun at the same.

People are far more receptive to something cool than a sales pitch.

Remember the purpose of your Wild Postings, but don’t forget to let the joy of the thing live for all to experience.