Presents Creative Marketing Opportunities Times Square--the big, bold, beating heart of New York City—is essentially the biggest billboard in the United States. Advertisers fight for space and attention on one of the many skyscraper-mounted billboards, electronic signs, and video monitors, but with all the bright lights and bustle, marketers have to use some pretty creative ideas to pull eyes their way.
Times Square is not only the advertising center of New York. This colorful neighborhood center is also a major tourist destination. Getting the attention of thousands of tourists—with money to burn—is a major coup for any advertising campaign, and creative marketing strategies have been developed specifically with tourists in mind.
Tourists are an ideal target market for billboard advertising campaigns for a number of reasons:
Unlike locals, tourists have time to stop and look around. Their eyes are taking in their surroundings and noticing things that people on their way to work don’t have time to see.
Tourists are looking for excitement and entertainment. Interactive advertising is a hit with tourists visiting urban centers like Times Square.
Some successful advertising campaigns have invited passers-by to enter commands via cell-phone and watch the results on a giant screen. Other marketing strategies have included employing cameras on the ground: tourists have the opportunity to see themselves on the giant screen.
Tourists are looking for photo opportunities. This is a great way for advertisers to go viral for free. Tourists take pictures of an eye-catching billboard, then share that picture online with friends: marketers get an instant increase in exposure.
If you are interested in advertising as a career, urban centers like Times Square can present you with a creative challenge. How would you use this colorful billboard environment to market your product? How would your creative idea rise above the competition? |