Dangerously Creative Billboard Ads

Billboard advertisements are designed to catch a person’s attention and create a memorable impression very quickly, leaving the reader thinking about the advertisement after they have driven past it.^[1]

That's why there are no place for boring ads alongside highways. Of course, too creative billboard ads may create another problem, like traffic accidents, but we hope you are viewing this post at home, and not while driving with your laptop on your lap. So, without further ado, here are 40 of the most creative billboard advertisements - enjoy and milk some inspiration!

Formula Toothcare: Bite

"Builds strong teeth" (Advertising Agency: Ogilvy & Mather, Jakarta, Indonesia)

Avera Health: Smoking Billboard

For two days, drivers who passed a smoking billboard in Sioux Falls, honked and cranked their necks to get a better look at the board everyone was talking about. It showed a woman sitting on a gurney in front of a terrible car crash, with one of the cars actually smoking behind her, that at least for two days, the smoke billowed off the photo into the sky, thanks to a hidden smoke machine behind the board. (Advertising Agency: BVK, USA)

Jobsintown.de: The Ass-Kisser Project

"There are better ways to make career." (Advertising Agency: Scholz & Friends, Hamburg, Germany)

Oltimer Restaurants: Tunnel

Special Poster for “Oldtimer”, a big Austrian chain for motorway rest stops. (Advertising Agency: Demner, Merlicek & Bergmann, Vienna, Austria)

The Economist

Advertising Agency: Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, UK

Panasonic Nose Hair Trimmer

Billboards built around actual electric wires and poles to amusingly yet convincingly dramatize the need for the Panasonic nose hair trimmer’s safety cutting system. (Advertising Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi Indonesia)

Belt Up

Advertising Agency: unknown

Berger: Natural Finish Colors

Advertising Agency: JWT Mumbai, India

BIC Razor

Advertising Agency: unknown

Mars Chilled: Tongue

Agency: Colenso BBDO, Auckland, New Zealand

Cingular

Agency: BBDO, New York.

Calgary International Film Festival

Only the best films make it. (Advertising Agency: WAX, Calgary AB, Canada)

Eskom: Use Electricity Wisely

"Use electricity wisely." (Advertising Agency: unknown)

Anando Milk – Superhuman Powers

Advertising Agency: McCANN ERICKSON, Mumbai, India

Coop’s Paints (Insurance Ad)

Advertising Agency: TM Advertising , USA, Dallas

Koleston Naturals: Change

Koleston Naturals is a hair colorant from natural ingredients. (Advertising Agency: Leo Burnett, Beirut, Libanon)

CNN: Stories With the Full Background

Advertising Agency: DDB&CO., Istanbul, Turkey

Coca-Cola

Refresh on Coca-Cola side of life. (Advertising Agency: MacLaren McCann, Toronto, Canada)

XBox, Alan Wake: Coffin Light

Microsoft Canada is looking to scare gamers with a unique campaign created to support the launch of Alan Wake, the highly anticipated psychological action thriller game. (Advertising Agency: MacLaren McCann, Toronto, Canada)

The Day After Tommorow

Advertising Agency: Contract, Mumbai, India

Road Safety: Bleeding Billboard

"Rain changes everything. Please drive to the conditions." (Advertising Agency: Colenso BBDO, Auckland, New Zealand)

Science World

Vancouver’s Rethink glued 9,000 dazzling glass “diamonds” to a billboard to promote Science World’s Treasure! exhibit, and to dramatize this fact: compared to most other gems, diamonds aren’t all that rare. (Advertising Agency: Rethink, Canada)

TV3: Law And Order

Advertising Agency: Colenso BBDO, Auckland, New Zealand

Silberman’s Fitness Center

Advertising Agency: unknown

Donatos Pizza: Steaming Pizza

Advertising Agency: Engauge, Columbus, USA

Zhangbei Fitness

Advertising Agency: Guangdong Advertising, Beijing, China

Mammoth: Play Big

Advertising Agency: David&Goliath

Kill Bill 2

Advertising Agency: unknown

Siemens Mixer

Advertising Agency: unknown

Max Factor

Billboard that will change once it rains to give the effect that the mascara is leaking. (Advertising Agency: unknown)

Martor Solingen: Extremely Sharp

Advertising Agency: unknown

Woodland: Climbing Shoes

“Climbing Shoes” (Advertising Agency: unknown)

Powerhouse Gym

Advertising School: Savannah College of Art & Design, Savannah, USA

Penline Stationary: Strong Tape

Advertising Agency: Euro RSCG, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Get Organized With Peter Walsh

Advertising Agency: unknown

Colorado State Patrol: Billboard Collision

“Tailgating Isn’t Worth It. Give Trucks Room. It’s The Law.” (Advertising Agency: Amélie Company, Denver, Colorado, USA)

YMCA: Basketball Billboard

Advertising Agency: TBWA Vancouver, Canada

Tylenol

Get back to normal. (Advertising Agency: unknown)