1. Running Head: UNIQUE BILLBOARDS: WHAT ELEMENTS HELP THEM TO STAND OUT?<br />Unique Billboards:<br /> What Elements Help Them To Stand Out?<br />ITEC 5320<br />Jessica Hollon<br />University of Wyoming<br /> <br />ABSTRACT<br />As visual images, billboard advertisements strive to catch the consumers’ eye in a limited amount of time. As the world’s technology increases, and consumers are becoming more visually aware and craving creativity in advertisements; billboards have become more advanced in terms of visual elements. Today’s billboards strive to engage the consumer and leave them with a feeling of awe in what they are seeing.<br />Billboards of today have become much more visually elaborate compared to billboards of the past. According to Professor Elif Eda Balkafl of Kocaeli University Communications Department in Turkey, “Billboard advertisements were first used in the 1980’s and created curiosity, with their interesting and different colors, designs and messages,” (Balkalf, 1998). In today’s world a consumer is expecting to see humor, cleverness, and many visual elements on advertisements, because this is the norm of the world we now live in. “All figures, text, and design methods which are used in billboard advertisements are effective by sending the message of sex, excitement, fear, humor, color, texture, movement, rhythm, harmony, balance, and effective use of white spaces- all characteristics of billboards, which enables effective reach to large target audiences,” (Balkalf, 1998).<br />A quick drive down any interstate or city street will shed light on what trends are becoming more of the norm in billboard advertisements. Today’s billboards might use the scale of large objects that are more like art installations place on and around the billboard creating a spectacle that passerbys will look at. Another useful element of billboards is movement on the billboard, and lighting that is non-traditional. “People driving by on the highway are only able to grasp a short phrase in the second that they are exposed to the message,” (Stringfellow, 2008) so the billboard must first catch their eye, and elude to the brand being advertised. “Billboards are on the periphery of your vision/attention, and therefore they have to present a reason to shift your attention from the task at hand to their message. They want to leave you hungering for more information or more contact with the brand,” (Sexton, 2009).<br />All in all “the primary objective of billboard advertisements is to gather and attract consumers interest and attention,” (Balkalf, 1998) and today’s advertisements do this in the most creative ways. Whether it is by shock or awe, the consumer with a first glance should want to look again and again, or be allowed to actually interact with the billboard by its movement or the illusion to it. Billboards of today are not only advertisements, but also clever art forms. <br /> <br />References<br /> BIBLIOGRAPHY 1033 Balkalf, E. E. (1998). An evaluative Stufy of Billboard Advertisment's Attention-Perception and Design Criterias. <br />Sexton, J. (2009, June 8). Visual Scandel, Story Appeal, and Banner Ads.<br />Stringfellow, A. (2008). How Does a Company Create a Billboard Design?<br />