‘Watch where you put it’ – I remember being given that advice in my teenage years. I’m not sure it related to the placement of ads, but for the purposes of this post that statement works.
I was on my way up an escalator a couple of days ago (laugh a minute, my life), staring at/through the poster ads on my left – usual suspects; West End shows, furniture shops, university courses, health supplements – when one briefly caught my eye…. because it was ridiculous.
The ad contained block copy (black on a white background) across three chunky paragraphs.
For the record, this is a reflection of the time you have to look at escalator ads:
Escalator ads have a 1-second dwell time (maybe slightly more, at a push).
To have read that block copy ad in full, I’d have to go up and down those escalators all bloody day!
Whatever the message on it, it was entirely wasted.
Worst part is, I caught sight of the logo and it was for a large, well-known brand.
I can only assume that the media planner on this account is in wooden stocks somewhere, being pelted with ripe fruit.
Long and the short of it: have a think where you’re placing your campaign. Will it work there? Don’t just stick it anywhere!