The most fun, goofy OOH ideas

One of the great things about out-of-home advertising is the fun possibilities it offers. How many times have you thought, “Wow, I was not expecting to see an ad there!”

It’s a medium where new ad formats are invented-and reinvented- frequently.

OOH ideas that work one day become passe the next, as out of home people are quick to tell you. So it’s on to the next bright idea.

Shock value is key. You want people to do a doubletake, and then laugh when they finally get it.

Media Life reached out to a number of authorities on OOH and asked them to pass on the most unique, interesting and surprising places they’ve seen ads.

Some are new, some old. All are head-turners. Below are our favorite responses.

1. Urinals

Advertising in public restrooms is nothing new, of course, but recently there have been ads showing up where the bulk of attention is focused in men’s rooms-inside the urinal.

A clever ad placed strategically in a men’s room urinal, combined with copy on a static ad placed above, creates a memorable visit to the men’s room.

You can even tie the two together, as in the example to the left, which leads people’s eyes up to the ad copy when they’ve been looking down to attend to their business.

The mind simply explodes with all the clever ad copy one might come up with for a urinal-focused campaign, and just imagine the products such a campaign might tout.

The ad pictured was for Mini Cooper. The copy reads: “Test your handling skills.”

2. Fortune cookies

Nobody finishing an Asian meal expects to find an ad inside their fortune cookie.

That makes fortune cookies a great place to put ad messages.

Just like the fortunes themselves, the best fortune cookie ads are those that are clever, funny, or generally memorable in some way. Advertisers can use an actual fortune on one side of the small strip of paper, with their ad on the other.

3. Airport security bins

The security checkpoint at the airport can be one of the most frustrating and tedious parts of traveling, but advertisers can help lighten the mood with a witty ad placed at the bottom of the security bins.

The audience is always moving, but as anyone who travels knows, they’re typically moving at a very slow rate, which gives the advertiser the option of using longer copy to entice their target.

4. Bottom of beer glasses

There is no shortage of advertising at bars, but a good way to grab the attention of patrons in a surprising way is to place ads at the bottom of beer glasses.

The best thing about this method is there is no way for the target to avoid it. When chugging that last gulp of beer, the eyes always gaze at the bottom of the glass, setting up an opportunity for the advertiser.

5. Toilet paper

This may be the ultimate attention-getter.

Toilet paper advertising uses water-based solution to print the ads on the delicate paper. TP marketers insist the paper is hypoallergenic and comfortable to use in that most delicate of spots.

Many of the ads include QR codes for people to scan while they’re taking care of their business, which can lead bathroom users to a coupon redeemable from a mobile device.

6. Dogs

Advertising has been called a “dog-eat-dog” world. But it’s also a world where a little creativity turns a dog into an ad.

Dogs can be used for ads by draping a branded sign over their backs or outfitting them in custom-printed sweaters.

Many passersby can’t resist taking a look at a cute pooch, and they may even pet and play with the little guys while a street team member chats them up about the product they are pushing.

7. Humans

Talk about a conversation-starter. When you see someone with a big tattoo for Golden Palace on their forehead, you can’t help but ask about it.

That’s just one of many ways advertisers can use body parts for advertising, provided they have a willing participant.

Ideas include temporary tattoos on faces or pregnant bellies, or body paint on the backs of professional boxers.

Ads have also been also placed on the bodies of professional beach volleyball players, on the heads of willing bald men, and on the thighs of women in Japan (above).

8. Walking billboards

Billboards don’t usually have legs. But walking billboards do.

Walking billboards are used as a visual complement to street teams.

A sign is strapped to a street team member’s back, kind of like a backpack. When seen from behind, it appears the sign is walking, with colorful ad copy up top and a pair of legs sticking out below.

Walking billboards are hardly new. Years ago stores were fond of hiring men to walk in front of their establishments wearing sandwich boards, with signs both front and back.

Tags: creative ooh ads, most creative ooh advertising, OOH, ooh ad venues, ooh advertising, out of home, surprising ooh ads