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.

East Tennessee State University

Rating: 2 (Below Average)

• The ad pictured here promotes an online college degree opportunity. Unfortunately, the target audience may never know where they can take advantage of that opportunity because the name of the college and the contact info is too small to easily read.
• The main selling message seems a bit disjointed because of the change in font and the yellow color boar. It comes across as two different messages: the college is 100% online and you can customize your degree.
• This ad earns a 2 (below 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:

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