Construction hoardings are so much more than a legal safety requirement – it’s a blank canvas, and it offers one of the most effective opportunities for impactful outdoor advertising. A few decades ago, this kind of visual marketing was fairly ‘tame’, and the technology available to us in terms of printing and installation was relatively simplistic.
But times have changed.
While a simple set of graphics is still infinitely more effective than a blank hoarding, it’s possible to achieve so much more with a hoarding advertisement. It’s becoming increasingly common to see construction site managers, housebuilders, and property developers taking full advantage of the new potential for their site hoarding advertisements, and thinking way outside the box with their designs.
With everything from additional lighting to 3-dimensional additions now possible, we’ve been inspired to see so many more of our clients embracing a truly innovative approach to their advertising, and approaching us with some really exceptional unique designs. We’ve collected a few of our favourites here that we feel really showcase the potential of a unique hoarding advertisement:
Backlit Lettering
Lighting can be one of the most effective additions to construction hoardings, allowing the graphics and advertising to be seen in the dark, but also adding a potential for unique visual design. By opting for backlit lettering, our client Clearview Homes were able to create a set of hoarding graphics that are completely transformed as the sun goes down.
Designs like this work equally well during the day, when the full colour range of the print is visible, but at night the illuminated lettering and light boxes contrast sharply with the black background to create a highly impactful visual impression.
Long-lasting interactive construction hoardings for Crossrail
Crossrail wanted a set of hoardings that not only stood out, but could also stand the test of time – in this case, a 2-year construction period.
Replacing tired or damaged hoardings can be a costly and unnecessary task for developers, and Crossrail wanted to ensure their graphics looked as good as the day they were printed for the entire duration of the project. This image was taken a full two years after the hoardings were installed, and the graphics are still crystal clear.
The materials a supplier works with have a hugely significant impact on the quality and longevity of their products, and in the case of wide format printing, this very directly applies to hoarding graphics. The choice of inks and substrate makes a huge difference to the finished graphics, and PressOn offer the very finest materials to ensure hoarding advertisements remain in prime condition.
Anti-graffiti laminate protects against any would-be vandals (providing a guard against everything from aerosol spray cans to permanent marker pens), and adds an additional layer of defence against the kind of everyday wear-and-tear that can be expected in high footfall areas, such as scratches, scrapes, and gouges. It’s also resistant to fading from the sun.
This hoarding also included a unique addition in the form of a viewing panel, which allows passers-by to peek into the site and keep up with the progress being made, and encourages pedestrians to linger and engage with the project (and therefore the brand).
Hoardings represent a fantastic opportunity for community engagement (take a look at our blog post on this for more information), and it’s exciting to see developers finding ways of connecting with local people through innovative use of their hoardings.
Cut-To-Shape ‘illusion’ construction hoardings
Who said construction hoardings had to be one shape? Using industry-leading cutting and finishing equipment, PressOn are able to print and cut graphics to any shape and size, which means that – provided your hoardings meet the legal requirements – the only restriction on their framing is the imagination and creativity of the developer.
These hoardings were installed on a residential street, which can sometime provide a challenge for community engagement; it can also be hard to stand out, as footfall is usually lower and the majority of visibility may come from passing motorists. As a result, a visually impressive and instantly noticeable design was required.
The finished hoarding implemented a combination of unusual and impressive shaping, combined with a standout set of graphics that made intelligent use of lighting to create an illusory ‘3D’ effect. The result is elegant, refined, and hugely effective.
3D Elements – Harrods Vault
This remains one of the most unique and visually impactful hoardings we’ve ever worked on at PressOn, and it goes to show just how impressive and immersive a set of site hoardings can be when they’re innovative and well-designed. This enormous ‘vault’ was installed outside one of the entrances to Harrods in London, forming an experiential retail installation as well as a legally-required site hoarding.
PressOn collaborated with 3D installation supplier 3D Eye to print and install a series of graphics onto the massive 3D vault. This installation demonstrated just how effective a set of hoardings can be when they’re used to complement a campaign – sometimes, something unique like this is the perfect way to amplify other marketing efforts (this installation took inspiration from a series of windows created by the retailer – find out more in the full case study here).
Lenticular construction hoardings
Construction hoardings are usually viewed by people passing by either on foot or in a vehicle, and while a static, flat design can be an effective way to reinforce a strong simple message, it’s also possible to use the power of 3D design to create lenticular hoardings.
These remarkable designs make use of a dual, angled surface featuring two distinct images. The effect is that the hoardings present two entirely unique images when viewed from either side, as pictured here with the ‘Queens Park Place’ hoardings.
These kinds of installations are the perfect way to convey a two-part message, which can open up all kinds of creative possibilities in marketing. They work particularly well when viewed from a passing car, and create a far more engaging experience than a single, static design.
Double height hoardings
It’s not just the shape of a hoarding that is flexible, but the size too. While most hoardings are constructed at around 8 feet (2.4 metres), this isn’t necessarily the only size at which they can be built – the aforementioned regulations place restrictions on things like wind load, for health and safety reasons, but in some situations even taller hoardings can be implemented.
When this is available, as with the project pictured above, the results can be something truly special. By using double height hoardings, the featured graphics can be enormous, and can dominate the public space in which they are installed, guaranteeing maximum potential visibility, turning your hoardings into a feature of the landscape.
By using the very latest and most innovative printing equipment, PressOn can also ensure the graphics for these hoardings are produced at the very highest level of quality and precision, meaning no loss in quality even at the much higher resolution.
You can also combine high hoardings with shorter versions for a tapered effect, as pictured here with the previously mentioned illuminated 3D lettering.
Corrugated Hoardings
Another thing to think about is the material from which the construction hoardings themselves are made, and whether or not there is an opportunity to use a board that stands out, and is more unique than simple flat wooden panelling. While many hoardings are made out of wood, this is far from the only material that works for printing – and while it might seem a logistical impossibility, it’s even possible to print graphics for corrugated metal.
This is a subtle way to change the overall aesthetic quality of the hoarding, but it makes a big difference to the visual impression. The general public have become accustomed to seeing hoardings – even those with fantastic graphics – made from flat panels of wood, so bucking this trend and opting for a different material such as corrugated metal is a good way to subvert expectation.
Want to know more? Get in touch
To find out more about how PressOn can help you create a unique and effective set of hoarding graphics, simply get in touch via our contact us page – we look forward to hearing from you!
