What is a billboard poster?
A billboard poster is a form of advertising a product or company, on a large scale. There are displayed across the country, outside shops or displayed on buildings. Billboards are used by newspaper companies to advertise newspapers and headlines, but are also used by movie studios to advertise upcoming films, or to advertise other products. These have been used in the newspaper industry since the early 1900s.
Billboard posters aimed at local newspapers will be displayed in the newspaper circulation area. These usually include a major headline included in that day/week's newspaper, written in a large bold text. These are very basic and include little information, with no colour or imagery included. Local newspapers include the masthead on the top of the billboard, to show what newspaper is being advertised.
For example, the Suffolk Free Press newspaper will have newspaper billboards within Sudbury and surrounding areas. A billboard poster for this would be irreverent in London, because the news within the newspaper would not affect London citizens. This example in the video shows the Manchester Evening News. Billboard posters for this newspaper would be seen in Manchester, but not London.
However, a billboard poster for a national newspaper would be seen all across the UK. Billboard posters for national newspapers, include pictures, making them more colourful and allow them to stand out more. Occasionally, they will display content in that day's newspaper. For example, The Sun will be advertised on a much larger scale compared to local newspapers, because The Sun has a larger demographic audience. These posters are much larger, to stand out more. These are usually seen on buildings in large towns and cities.
Billboards are useful because they provide information on a headline featured within that issue of a newspaper. They allow a target audience of a newspaper to discover about an event which could affect them. Headlines may draw the attention of the target audience, in local newspapers, by saying 'town', 'city', or 'area'. This will draw people in, because the event could affect people, so they want to learn more.
Analysis:
The Press:
The Press newspaper, that is produced in York, has a headline of 'Rescue Drama On York's River Ouse'. The billboard includes the newspaper masthead, on the top and bottom, with the headline written in the centre of the poster. Locals will be drawn to this because the headline mentions 'York', and the 'River Ouse', a river that runs through Yorkshire. The text is in a large bold font, allowing it to stand out. 'Tuesday' is seen below the masthead, which shows when the newspaper was released. This will draw people in because it will show that the paper includes up-to-date information.
Evening Standard:
A similar style can be seen in the London newspaper, the Evening Standard. The headline says 'Banks Rescue: City Reaction'. Again, locals will be drawn it due to the fact it says 'City'. This headline also talks about banks - London is a central hub for finance, so local businessmen could be interested by this. The mastheads are seen top and bottom, like The Press, but this appears to be hand-written. This could be because the paper regularly is released, so the billboard needs to be updated frequently. 'Wednesday' is shown below the masthead to help readers know if the newspaper includes up-to-date news.
Conclusion:
Billboard posters allow newspapers to advertise a headline included in a local newspaper. This could be a form of advertising, to help target their audience, and interest them. Local newspaper billboards are relatively simple in design, with a masthead and headline included.
