How to write copy for a hoarding that gets read

When you are approving a hoarding headline, remember that it is not a press ad cut down. Your audience may be driving, walking or waiting. The words need to land in a single pass, so writing them takes more discipline than filling a page.

Use one thought

Write the message in one spoken sentence. Then reduce it until every word earns its place. A strong outdoor line often has a brand name, one benefit or feeling, and nothing else. The product can do some of the talking through the image.

Choose words people say

Prefer familiar words and active verbs. Read the line aloud. If it sounds like a brochure, it will feel distant on the road. If it needs a qualifier to be accurate, put the qualification in the supporting material rather than making the headline collapse under it.

Let place and timing do some work

A line near a store can point people there. A morning commute line can acknowledge the moment. Do not force local slang into every board. Use local context only when it makes the message clearer or more memorable.

For ideas that change along a route, read using sequential hoardings to tell a story.