In India there are a lot of billboards. Most of them are trying to get your attention by being really loud and making claims.. Some companies like Blinkit and Zomato are doing things differently. They are using billboards in a way. They want people to stop and look at them and maybe even smile. Blinkit and Zomato are trying to make billboards that people will remember, not something that you see and forget. They want Blinkit and Zomato billboards to be special, like a something that makes you feel good when you see it.
Their outdoor campaigns really stand out. It is not because they have flashy design or heavy branding. It is because the outdoor campaigns of these companies feel very human. The things they write often sound like something you would say to your friends when you are talking to them. They use words they are funny and they talk about things that are happening now. This makes the advertising feel like it is just, for you not like they are trying to sell you something. The outdoor campaigns feel personal not like they are trying to promote something.
People who know a lot about marketing say that the way we do things now is changing how people look at media like billboards. The thing is, people do not pay attention for a time anymore and there are a lot of things to look at so just being seen is not enough. What is important is being remembered. Outdoor media like billboards can be really good at this. A single funny phrase, said at the time can be more effective, than a really expensive photo shoot or a message that says a lot of things. This is what marketing experts mean by memorability of media.
Blinkit and Zomato have shown us that it is better to be relatable than to be perfect. I mean have you seen their billboards? They do not try to tell you about their products. What is good about them. What they do is talk about the things that we all feel, like the problems that we face and they make us laugh. This is something that we can all understand. It feels like they are talking directly to us. A lot of people take pictures of these billboards. Share them on social media and then people talk about them online. This means that more people see them not just the people who walk by them on the street. Blinkit and Zomato are really good, at making billboards that people want to talk about.
As advertising changes the big question for brands is different now. The question is not “Can people see your ad?”. Is your ad worth remembering?” Brands want to know if people will actually remember their ads. Outdoor advertising is, about making people remember your brand. So the question is really “Is your outdoor ad worth remembering?”
In this new era, billboards are no longer just background scenery. When done right, they become conversation starters—and that’s where real brand impact begins.
