Is Billboard advertising still relevant today? Yes, all because of costly signal transmission. This principle of behavior says that expensive signals indicate higher quality or status.
Although a broader concept of human behavior, the costly signal transmission applies absolutely to advertising. After all, what is the value of a social media display? Social ads are highly effective, so social ads are cheap, so that everyone can buy them and suppress the room. But an advertising table? That needs something real money.
So let’s go into how the costly signaling applies especially to Billboard advertising. Then I will share some top virus brilliant examples.
What is costly signals?
The costly signal theory is the idea that the more costs you bring in something, the more other people you appreciate.
Sounds easy, isn’t it? Well, I have two reservations. The first is that costly signals are reflected perceived costs. People still have to interpret and assign a value to significant information. Second, the cost signal is reliable in these cases because Only people who can afford To send the signal, you have the signaled quality.
To put it in marketing, a costly signaling means that the more resources you use in the release of your message, the higher people you rate. Goes beyond money and includes time, effort, pain or any kind of expenses that have been spent to make the message more convincing.
I think Rory Sutherland, manager of advertising measures, makes it perfect:
Costly signal example
The costly signal transmission goes beyond textbooks and can be seen in the real world. A 2013 study entitled “Extreme rituals promote prosocial“Analyzed how expenditure can increase religious donations.
The study took place in Mauritius during the Hindu Festival of Thaipusam. The researchers wanted to see whether the effort and pain that the worshipers put in their ritual influenced the amount they donated to the local temple.
The researchers examined two types of rituals:
- A ritual with a low frequency. This consisted of a group that only sang and prayed.
- High -dordeal ritual (Kavadi). This ritual was very intense. The participants pierced their skin with needles and hooks, wore heavy structures and went uphill for over 4 hours.
Those who saw the singing vocal group with a low frequency only gave 80 rupees as a donation, while those who saw the high -found rituals gave 65% more, an average of 132 rupees. In this case, the observation of pain has evaluated the ritual more.
I like to visualize costly signals as a positive vector in which the two elements are directly proportional: higher costs = higher importance.
For this reason, it is unlikely that your partner can marry you with a McDonald’s Drive-Thru-Thru-Thru-Thru-Thru-Thru. To ask you about a 10-course tasting in a 3-star restaurant has a higher chance of success.
Although they are the same person who asks the same question, the latter situation will probably run better for them due to the higher perceived costs and efforts. In other words, it makes more sense.
Advertising boards and costly signals
I think advertisers can take the determination from behavioral science and apply them to their advertising boards. This applies in particular to costly signals. So I did a stupid but simple experiment to find out.
I showed 200 British a fake display for my podcast Thrust. Half of the participants in my experiment only saw the advertisement. The remaining 50% saw the same display on an advertising table.
Now signals an advertising table. For some less than attentive spectators, they may believe that I have paid for this advertising table to display it myself. Or maybe they thought that this survey was the prerequisite for creating the advertising table. In any case, the advertising table signaled more Cost as the display alone.
Has the Billboard version made people hear my podcast more often? Yes. It made the British 61% higher.
Instead of just creating an advertising table, marketers with new designs can bring more costs into the advertising table. This novelty will show a higher effort and increase the perceived value even more. I will share a few outstanding examples below.
Examples of viral advertising table
1. Netflix
How should Netflix apply 1,000 new shows? Netflix could communicate the message on a simple poster wall on the building page, but that would give the chance to highlight the effort.
Instead, they created an extensive, oversized advertising table on a huge murals. It listed dozens of shows that should Let the viewers evaluate the display and Netflix more.
Why does that work
The easy purchase of billboard surfaces is not enough. You have to use this space (and your expenses) to revolutionize it. I find the list of shows a powerful kind of show – don’t tell – what Netflix has to offer. In my opinion, you have done a phenomenal task of demonstrating value through your costs.
2. Dracula
I took part in a New Year’s Eve party in South London in 2021. On the other side of the street I saw an ad for a new BBC show. The advertising table had stung dozens of knives into the poster. A light lit the knives at night and threw a draculable shadow over the display.
The advertising table was an incredible work of art that was only visible at night and must have made a lot of effort to create. These costs stopped me and I never forgot this ad after an alcohol filled with alcohol.
Why does that work
This advertising table is unique, smart and artistic. It is absolutely arrested and conveys the effort of the creative designer behind it. How can the curiosity of a viewer not become conscience?
Going viral means being unforgettable. Therefore, it is a safe way to be successful.
1. Specifications
“Should have gone to Specsavers” is the humorous slogan for this well -known optician.
All advertisements of Specsavers play on the idea that those with dubious eyesight need an examination. Instead of just saying your slogan, use costly, faulty advertising boards to emphasize your slogan.
Why does that work
This advertising table is striking because it looks wrong. Then you read it and have a good laugh. His humor cleverly collects the reason why someone needs new glasses. I think that makes it unforgettable.
If you can “embody” what you sell through your advertising table, your message will stay better and people will appreciate your efforts more.
Science tells us that the costs are worthwhile
We appreciate advertising boards more when we see the costs created for you. Do not understand me wrong, a viral advertising table includes a lot of creativity, but behavioral science shows a common thread behind many of them. The higher the costs, the greater the likelihood of virality.
My biggest snack is that The costs are worth it. If people perceive the costs of an advertisement, they not only appreciate them more, but also more as a reaction. If you perceive something as a cheap and low Effort, you react to benefits in kind.
So invest in creative design and make yourself large with your advertising table editions and you will see a higher return of your investment.