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.

Midtown Connect

Rating: 3 (average)

• The ad pictured here is relatively easy to read: Midtown Connect. Work. Shop. Live. Thrive.
• The script takes a little longer, but is legible and the advertiser most likely required it.
• It’s not informative because nothing in the message explains what Midtown Connect is or where it is. Therefore, it’s left to the viewer to either Google it, as I did, or just ignore it an go on with their lives without giving this ad another thought. That’s a big risk to take for a significant monthly expense.
• After looking it up online, I determined OOH is not the best medium to try to explain this advertiser, but the target audience should have been given the guidance to get that info and the opportunity to learn more at the advertiser’s web site. This 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:

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