Rate This Ad allows a billboard designer to rate a random piece of billboard artwork using the following scale: 1 (not good), 2 (below average), 3 (average), 4 (very good), 5 (great). Then the designer talks about what they may have done differently for outdoor advertising. This week’s rating is provided by Greg Callaham www.gregcallaham.com) who has over 30 years of experience in outdoor advertising design. Insider has used and endorses Callaham’s services.

Magic Valley Monuments

Rating: 3 (average)

• This ad incorporates humor into the selling message for a sensitive subject. Unfortunately, the copywriting tried to pull the punch, and we wound up with too many words on the board and a tag line that could have been so much more memorable.
• Although the business name gets a little lost on the headstone, I also think it’s a clever way to present the logo, so that evens out.
• The ad earns a 3 (average).

As always, I do not know the details of the art request or components of the campaign this ad may or may not have been part of. But looking at this challenge with the eye of an OOH graphic designer and through the lens of the target audience, I would have urged the advertiser to run the ad pictured below to promote the same message using a similar style. Using humor with this subject matter is a go-big-or-go-home moment. Some viewers will complain no matter what, so don’t pull your punch.

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