20 Best Billboard and Outdoor Ads of All Time

Looking for the most creative, traffic-stopping, head-turning billboard ads out there? Well, you have come to the right place. You will love this comprehensive list that we’ve compiled.

With digital taking the lead in the industry, it’s easy to start wondering if other traditional forms of advertising still make an impact. We think billboards and other outdoor advertising forms are still highly effective. Advertisers are challenging themselves each and every day to stand out, and by creatively utilising billboards, not only do you get your message across to the masses, you’re able to show clever creativity and become memorable.

We’ve compiled a list of the most eye-catching billboards out there. They are witty and gigantic, and they get their message across in a creative way. Let’s get into our list of the best billboard ads of all time!

Hygiene and Beauty Billboard Adverts

The hygiene and beauty industry is commonly advertised on billboards and because of the various sizes of these canvases, one is able to take advantage of the space to make an impactful statement. Let’s have a look at some creative examples:

1. Formula

The hygiene and beauty industry is commonly advertised on billboards and because of the various sizes of these canvases, one can take advantage of the space to make an impactful statement with this medium. Let’s have a look at some of the creative options out there.

2. Ponds

Do you struggle with pimples? Use ponds to clear them away. The billboard shows a person’s face hidden by the corner of the canvas of the ad. A very clever play on combining imagery and text.

3. Ponds Antibacterial Scrub

The facial scrub and pore cleaner billboard ad portrays a giant pore and in the middle of the pore stands a man, who is literally cleaning out the pore and taking out the dirt that is in it, which may be the cause of blackheads.

4. Kolestone

This innovative design features a woman’s hair due, cut in the billboard and uses negative space to capture the variations of Koleston Naturals’ colours through the different phases of the day and night.

The Best Food Billboard Ads

Food is probably one of the most advertised categories on all various ad platforms. But food ads on billboards are a sure way to get your tummy rumbling while sitting in that peak hour traffic. Here’s a look at some popular out-of-home billboard ads:

1. Mr Kipling

Mr Kipling is a brand of cakes, pies, and other well-known pastries. The billboard ad shows a collage made of cakes and other baked goodies, relaying the message that life is better with a little bit of cake, and not just any cake, but cake from Mr Kipling raised categories on all various ad platforms. But food ads on billboards are a sure way to get your tummy rumbling while sitting in that peak hour traffic. Here’s a look at some popular out-of-home billboard ads:

2. McDonald’s

This billboard ad shows just how convenient McDonald’s is; even at the odd hour of 2:04, McDonald’s will be open 24 hours for your convenience.

3. KFC

Making use of rocket ships, race cars, and a superhero squadron, KFC uses this metaphor to communicate just how fiery hot their Hot and Spicy chicken is and the graphics superimpose the chicken, making it the hero of the image.

5. McDonald’s- On your right

From the award-winning Follow the Arches campaign, the McD’s team deconstructed the iconic golden arches and transformed them into minimal directional billboards to help steer drivers to the nearest branch of McDonald’s on their daily commutes.

6. Coca-cola

Coke has always had this lifelong adage of sharing life’s moments over a coca-cola. In this ad, the drink is drawn on the side of the building and there are straws emanating from the bottle directed toward different windows. The neighbors can then share from the same coke bottle and thus share in coca-cola moments.

8. Kit-Kat

Using their well-known catchphrase “Have a break, have a Kit-Kat”, this billboard lets the consumer fill in the missing words on what seems like an incomplete billboard in the process of completion, but the guys decided to have a break.

9. Chipotle

Sometimes you just have to highlight the most important words so that the message is clear. Chipotle wanted to effectively write about their locally sourced natural ingredients but this massive billboard with the right copy highlighted did that job for them.

Our Top 5 Homeware & Hardware Outdoor Ads

The homeware outdoor ads definitely don’t disappoint when it comes to the creative use of billboard ads. Let’s go through a few of our favourites!

1. Craftsman

Has over 90 years of quality and innovation in tools used for building and DIY. The billboard ad has the outer structure of a strong arm holding fast a spanner, and the text depicts that the trust is in your hands.

2. Strong Tape

The billboard which is on the side of a building shows that the corners of the canvas are held up with the tape adhesive, and a roll of the tape is smack in the middle, sending the message of just how strong the tape is.

3. Miele

Creatively demonstrating the power of the Miele S8 monster suction vacuum cleaner, this brilliant billboard design was placed over a well-known tunnel, giving the illusion that all the cars that go into the tunnel are getting sucked into the power of the vacuum.

4. Coops Paint

This ad was a joint venture between Coops Paint and Nationwide Insurance. You may be minding your own business painting your walls, and all of a sudden the paint spills and makes a mess in the house or on your car. Do you have the insurance to help you deal with the mess? That’s where nationwide comes in, to help with the insurance of the unexpected calamities of life.

9. Berger

Berger paints, developers of natural finish colours. The billboard shows a painter up on the wall as he paints the canvas of the billboard with the natural sky blue colour. The colour blends in with the natural light of the sky and into the billboard, depicting just how natural the colours are, they blend into the very nature.

Safety Awareness Billboard Advertisements

Being on the road, safety should be the biggest priority. Here’s a great billboard that punts the message of road safety.

 

1. Belt Up

The billboard depicts a guy sitting in the back seat without a safety belt, however, attached to the back seat is a slingshot ready to launch the guy at any moment. Sending a message that one shouldn’t sit at the back with no seatbelt thinking that it is safer because it isn’t. So rather belt up. 

Clothing Brands Outdoor Billboard Ads

A little retail therapy never hurt anyone, here are some awesome billboards that will have you wanting to go try something on.

 1. Levi’s

Even this billboard had to get a pair of Levi’s 501. This LA billboard really had heads turning with its creative use of printed vinyl that is stretched around a metal framework, magically replicating the texture and looking like a real pair of 501s.

2. Adidas

This billboard spans over the whole highway and depicts a goalkeeper dressed in his Adidas sponsored outfit, diving across the road as he saves the ball from going through the posts. Extremely eye-catching and highly original, this billboard shows how you can push the boundaries of traditional advertising.