Rate This Board 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 weeks rating is provided by Melody Roberts. Melody Roberts is a billboard designer and founder of Out of Home Creative, an outdoor advertising agency specializing in creating unique out of home designs for businesses, agencies, media buyers and out of home companies.
Board Design: Starbucks
Rating 4 (very good)
- Starbucks is a national, out of home advertiser that understands how to say what the consumer needs to know in 7 words or less.
- Their logo is so iconic they almost don’t need to say anything; we know it’s Starbucks and they’re advertising holiday flavors by the color scheme of their billboards.
- I rated this a 4 out of 5 because this creative is good, it puts you in the holiday spirit but I am assuming they may have also advertised on interstate locations. If so, you might not be able to read it clearly at 60+ mph or make out that the whip cream has been made into an angel (if you’re reading this article on your cell phone, try holding your phone at arm’s length and see if you can make either of these out).
- I would have considered showing an alternative version showcasing 3 holiday cups (maybe in Red, Green and Gold and added a drop shadow for a 3D effect. As it is, the color scheme is almost monochromatic and the cup is fading into the background) in an upright position so the logo is not skewed with the same message or possibly adding another holiday term above each cup such as, “Ho, Ho, Ho” instead of the visual of the angel. By showing 3 cups, it would also tie in with the plural usage of “drinks” in the headline.
- Either way I like the angel, its fun but I think the same point would have come across without it. In my opinion, it is important that your image is visible when advertising on a billboard that may rotate or be part of a national campaign where locations may vary.
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