Although the internet is slowly becoming the essential marketing tool of the 21st Century, it’s important to remember that sometimes the old ways are still the best ways. As of 2012, three quarters of advertising budgets are still spent off-line.

Physical forms of marketing can have an influential effect on business and one of the best ways is still the traditional banner display. It’s a very simple and effective method which gets results and increases revenue, as well as awareness of a brand. So how and why do banners do this? Let’s take a look....

Eye-Catching Marketing Is More Responsive

Statistically, you have around 2-5 seconds to attract attention with your banner. So the answer is quite obvious when asking how a business can make theirs stand out.

It seems like such a simple piece of pop-psychology but it’s true; things that are colourful and interesting to the eye are much more likely to be engaged with. This works in pretty much any field. It’s why we gravitate towards movie stars like Tom Cruise. It’s why we look at paintings like Van Gogh or Picasso.

Banners with bright colours, a clear, simple message.

Look at this example by booking.com as it highlights this message perfectly. The banners tell you something interesting and does not waste your time being too busy design-wise.

You can also be unique in your banner design in different ways. This example from GMC is great because it is designed to tell a story. This is something that web marketing content is effective at but off-line isn’t. A strong message is key to a great banner.

It’s not surprising that banners such as these added to the massive 88% revenue growth of GMC in the US in 2011.

Brand Awareness

Of course, a banner will get seen by a lot of people if placed in the right location. Brand awareness can be increased by having your banner in a place where people travel past on a regular basis. Below is a very cool and easy example by Ford cars. Of course, the design is crucial here because if a banner is too overpowering, then people will ignore. Having a banner at the right place at the right time can really boost your brand awareness.

Have A Call To Action

The whole point of a banner is to relay information to the consumer for your business. Regardless if it is on or offline, if you do not give clear instructions, then you potentially will lose custom.

A great banner that helps increases awareness and sales should also have a call to action somewhere. A website address. A telephone number. A time, place or location to be at. Any or even all of these should be included.

A clear CTA like this from Zenith Cosmetic Clinics give you directions to take the next step on the (potential) customer journey.

The immediacy and location friendly benefits of banners make them great for businesses. They can be placed almost anywhere, do not require an internet connection and offer a highly visible window for your brand. In the 21st Century, it’s important to remember banners still work.