OMA_ Creative Guidelines_ Design Development_ FINAL

CREATIVE 

GUIDELINES

OUTDOOR MEDIA ASSOCIATION CREATIVE GUIDELINES 02 

STAND OUT CREATIVE 

DELIVERS RESULTS. 

Our Creative Guidelines are designed 

to assist you in creating Out of Home 

(OOH) campaigns that connects 

businesses, governments and people. 

PICTURED OPPOSITE 

Outdoor industry campaign ‘Look Up’ invited Australians 

to connect with the world.

OUTDOOR MEDIA ASSOCIATION 

CREATIVE GUIDELINES 

03 

CONTENTS 

1.0 WHY OUT OF HOME? 04 

2.0 CREATIVE CONCEPT 06 

3.0 PRINT AND DIGITAL 12 

4.0 CREATIVE DESIGN 17 

5.0 REGULATION 23 

6.0 DIVERSITY 25 

7.0 CELEBRATION 27 

“WOULD I LOOK UP? 

WOULD I GIVE A SHIT?” 

— 

BRUNO BERTELLI, GLOBAL CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER OF PUBLICIS WW


OOH “ ADVERTISING IS ALWAYS 

ON, DELIVERING MESSAGES 

24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS 

A WEEK.” 

— 

CHARMAINE MOLDRICH, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF OMA 

WHY OUT OF HOME? 

1.0


1.0 WHY OUT OF HOME? 

OUT OF HOME 

CONNECTS BRANDS 

WITH PEOPLE. 

OOH is big and bold, 

cheeky and clever — 

and sometimes can be 

a little controversial. 

24/7 

OOH advertising delivers messages 

24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

93% 

PICTURED TOP 

Mecca’s campaign, ‘The Beauty Spectacular Gift Card Vending Machine’ 

connects people to a convenient Christmas shopping experience. 

PICTURED BOTTOM 

Menulog seeks to satisfy your dinner desires with its transit–focused 

campaign, ‘The Food You Want. Delivered.’ 

OOH reaches 93 per cent of the Australian 

population living in and around capital cities.


THERE’S “ NEVER BEEN A 

BETTER TIME THAN RIGHT 

NOW TO BE CREATIVE.” 

— 

PHILIPPE MEUNIER, CO–FOUNDER OF SID LEE 

CREATIVE CONCEPT 

2.0


2.0 


COMMUNICATION STYLE 

Choose a style that’s right for your 

campaign. 

INFORMATIVE 

ENTERTAINING 

SURPRISING 

An informative creative campaign provides 

neutral facts and figures on a subject. Use 

this style to inform and educate the viewer. 

We’re wired to learn, and informative 

campaigns can make a lasting impact. 

Entertaining campaigns work in 

environments where people are waiting 

for public transport to arrive. Think bus 

shelters, train platforms and airport gates. 

Connecting with viewers in a playful manner 

strengthens engagement. 

Surprising creative can attract the viewer’s 

attention using unexpected or unusual 

details. The viewer might not understand 

the message at first glance and will double 

check the creative. 

This ‘beat’, where the viewer connects 

the dots, results in stronger and longer– 

lasting engagement. 

HOW DO YOU WANT 

TO COMMUNICATE? 

PICTURED ABOVE 

SA Health influences and informs the community about the Covid 

Vaccination roll–out. 


Channel 7 engages the community with an interactive experience 

and the opportunity to win. 


Burger King reveals the removal of artificial preservatives in its iconic 

Whopper Burger with confronting, yet powerful imagery.


2.0 


“PEOPLE DON’T 

WANT WHAT YOU 

MAKE. THEY WANT 

THE WAY IT WILL 

MAKE THEM FEEL.” 

— 

HUMOROUS 

Humour creates a positive brand image. 

It is approachable and connects with the 

audience by showing common ground. 

Comedic creative always requires cleverness, 

wit, courage and self–confidence but the 

payoff can be huge. 

A humorous campaign is more likely 

to be shared on social media and with 

friends and family. 

EMOTIONAL 

Emotional storytelling is a powerful way 

that brands can connect with their audiences 

on a more personal level. This creative style 

tells a story or communicates solidarity and 

team spirit. 

Emotion resonates with the viewer 

and stimulates the mind faster than 

rational thought. 

SETH GODIN, AUTHOR AND FORMER DOT COM EXECUTIVE 


Who Gives a Crap encourages the public to use its eco–friendly toilet 

paper to save trees and give back to the community. 


Outdoor industry campaign ‘Together’ reminds us that reconnecting with 

loved ones is within reach and encourages the public to get vaccinated.


2.0 CREATIVE CONCEPT 

% 

Harvard Business 

School Professor 

Gerald Zaltman says 

95OF PURCHASE 

DECISIONS ARE 

SUBCONSCIOUS



ROADSIDE 

TRANSPORT 

RETAIL 

SURROUNDINGS 

Roadside OOH livens up our time on the 

road. It points us in the direction of the 

next food stop and gives us something 

to consider while waiting at traffic lights. 

This includes: 

Transport OOH provides viewers with an 

entertaining break from the monotony of 

repeat journeys. It’s the perfect medium to 

drive online action through a direct search 

or by downloading an app. This includes: 

Typically found inside buildings, retail OOH 

is usually digital. This dynamic style of 

advertising lets people know about sales 

promotions, new products, and upcoming 

events. You’ll find it in: 

Consider the surroundings! If OOH 

advertising refers to its local area and / 

or social community, it will resonate with 

the audience. 

— Billboards 

— Bus / tram shelters 

— Bus / tram externals (wraps) 

— Kiosks 

— Phone booths 

— Free standing panels 

— Public toilets 

— Train wraps 

— Rail platforms and concourses 

— Bus interchanges 

— Bus / tram internals 

— Airport external billboards 

— Airport internals 

— Shopping centres 

— Universities 

— Office buildings and lifts 

— Cafes 

— Petrol stations 

— Convenience stores 

— Gyms and sports clubs 

OOH ADVERTISING 

IS LOCATION–DRIVEN 

AND RELIES ON 

LOCAL CONTEXT. 

— Bicycle stations 


Billboards are viewed frequently by mass audiences. They create 

emotional impact and are an unavoidable canvas. 


Tram wraps are eye–catching and are used to reach new and diverse 

audiences every day at high frequency. 


Shopping centres are high foot traffic areas with long dwell times. 

Dynamic motion increases engagement for diverse audiences. 


Remember how quickly people are walking or driving past your campaign. 

Make it easy to see, easy to read and easy to remember.



DWELL TIME 

Dwell time is the amount of time an audience 

spends viewing an OOH campaign. 

— If people are moving, use a shorter 

dwell time 

— If people are waiting, choose a longer 

dwell time 

1–3 SEC 

Driving by billboards, street furniture, 

airport externals or high transit areas 

5–20 SEC 

Walking by street furniture, airport internals 

or commuter, transit and retail areas 

< 12 MIN 

Standing by retail, building internals, 

street furniture and transit areas 


Michael Cassel Group promotes the musical ‘Hamilton’ through 

high–impact media formats that reflect the epic nature of the show.


THE “ NATURE OF WHAT WE 

NOW THINK OF OOH HAS 

EXPANDED AND BECOME 

HARDER TO DEFINE.” 

— 

TERRY SAVAGE, CHAIRMAN OF CANNES LIONS INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF CREATIVITY 

PRINT AND DIGITAL 

3.0


3.0 PRINT AND DIGITAL 

OOH COMES IN ALL 

SHAPES AND SIZES. 

The OMA’s neuroscience study measured 

the impact on the audience viewing 

different OOH formats using the Neuro 

Impact Factor (NIF). The NIF quantifies 

the subconscious impact of a media 

environment as individuals experience it. 

It is based on Neuro–Insight’s scientifically 

and market validated metrics, long–term 

memory encoding and emotional intensity. 

The specific behaviour of each metric 

is also incorporated into the formula. 

The study demonstrated that digital signs 

delivered a higher NIF score while classic 

signs deliver more reach. 

When creating classic campaigns, consider: 

COST OF PRINTING 

PRODUCTION TIME 

If you decide on a digital approach, consider: 

63% 

63 per cent of digital signs trigger a higher 

level of impact than classic signs* 

STATIC, ANIMATED 

OR EVOLVING FORMATS 

INTEGRATING 

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY 

*SOURCE 

The Outdoor Media Association, Neuro-Insight, The Neuro Impact Factor, 

accessed 19 September 2022, www.oma.org.au/neuro-impact-factor. 


Australian Bananas effectively position the banana as a fresh and natural 

alternative to processed energy bars. 

DWELL TIME



EVOLVING CREATIVE 

While static images can do a great job, 

evolving creative can enhance a campaign’s 

performance. These changes can be as 

simple as a colour or copy update each day. 

QMS Media and Neuro–Insight investigated 

how the human brain responds to DOOH 

campaigns, comparing static and evolving 

creative. The study revealed that long–term 

memory encoding, which is critical 

for campaign effectiveness, continues 

to grow in respondents that are exposed 

to evolving creative. 

38% HIGHER 

Evolving creative campaigns deliver a higher 

impact than static creative campaigns by 

day five of a seven day week.* 

*SOURCE 

QMS Media, Neuro-Insight, Global First Neuro Study – 

Evolving Creative is More Memorable!, accessed 19 September 2022, 

www.neuro-insight.com/casestudy/ooh-study-with-qms. 


JOLT provides free, fast–charging electric vehicle stations across 

Australia in partnership with Ausgrid.



MULTI–CHANNEL 

When implementing your campaign, begin 

with OOH / DOOH at the campaign’s core. 

Then share the same message across: 

— TV 

— Radio 

— Print 

— Digital 

ILLUMINATION 

If you want to capture your audience’s 

attention 24 hours a day, think about using 

illuminated OOH. This can be particularly 

effective if the product is available at night 

or speaks to night–time needs and / 

or stories. 


‘The Batman’ takes over the streets of Melbourne with a multi–format 

and attention–grabbing campaign. 

*SOURCE 

Analytic Partners Meta Analysis, New Zealand, 2015 to 2021. 

— Social media 

MULTI–FORMAT 

Consider using multiple formats to reach 

a bigger target group, grab their attention 

and engage with people on the move. 

USE AT LEAST THREE OOH FORMATS IN EACH CAMPAIGN * 

More OOH formats = highest Return on Investment (ROI) 

ROI short–term performance by channel indexed to TV (100) NZ 

150 

100 

50 

0 

SINGLE FORMAT TWO FORMATS THREE OR MORE FORMATS



Think about connecting in multiple ways 

by integrating: 

QR CODES 

WEATHER DATA 

TIME DATA 


Jetstar takes over 50 digital screens in Sydney and Melbourne, offering 

commuters the chance to win free flight vouchers. 


VB Solar Exchange campaign enables beer lovers to trade excess solar 

energy for slabs of Victoria Bitter. 


Real–time data allows commuters to access their money from MyPayNow 

while waiting for the bus. 

LOCATION DATA 

ANAMORPHIC SCREENS 

3D ANIMATIONS 

DOOH CAMPAIGNS 

CAN CREATE 

REAL CUSTOMER 

ENGAGEMENT. 


Large–format digital billboards are strategically positioned to reach vast 

audiences in affluent areas of Australia. 


d’strict releases a three–dimensional wave display on an 80m by 20m LED 

board in Seoul, South Korea. 


Uber Eats, oOh!media and creative agency, Special, brings a city–dwelling 

giraffe to life for an ultimate 3D experience.


CREATING “ GOOD OOH TEACHES 

YOU TO LET THINGS GO.” 

— 

WARREN BROWN, CREATIVE FOUNDER OF BMF 

CREATIVE DESIGN 

4.0


4.0 CREATIVE DESIGN 

KEEP IT 

SIMPLE. 

PLACEMENT 

The centre of a site is the centre 

of attention. 

15–20% 

The product should take up to 

15 to 20 per cent of the site space. 


Subway’s unmissable campaign emphasises the size and scale 

of its iconic footlong sub.



A STRONG 

COLOUR 

CONTRAST 

ENHANCES 

READABILITY. 

Think of the colour wheel and choose 

colours at opposite sides.



Red 

Excitement 

Strength 

Love 

Envy 

Orange 

Confidence 

Success 

Bravery 

Sociability 

Yellow 

Creativity 

Happiness 

Warmth 

Cheer 

Green 

Nature 

Healing 

Freshness 

Quality 

Blue 

Trust 

Peace 

Loyalty 

Competence 

COLOUR 

PSYCHOLOGY 

CAN HELP. 

Utilise the effect colours have on your 

audience’s emotions. 

Pink 

Compassion 

Sincerity 

Sophistication 

Sweet 

Purple 

Royalty 

Luxury 

Spirituality 

Ambition 

Brown 

Dependable 

Rugged 

Trustworthy 

Simple 

Black 

Formality 

Dramatic 

Sophistication 

Security 

White 

Clean 

Simplicity 

Innocence 

Honest



A STRONG CONTRAST 

DRAWS ATTENTION 

Use dark text on a light background 

and light text on a dark background. 

HARDER TO READ 

10% BLACK 

If you want to design for digital, use a tint 

of 10 per cent black. A 100 per cent white 

is perceived as too bright. 

EASIER TO READ


4.0 

CREATIVE DESIGN 

TEXT 

Less is more. 

7 WORDS OR LESS 

Use active and direct language with 

excitement. Avoid details, long lists or links. 

5–10% OF SITE 

Choose a font style and font size that is 

easy to read. Allow a text size of at least 

5 to 10 per cent of the site. 

TEXT POSITION 

Two options are most effective: 

Text in centre. Text at product. 


Bumble shows its support and respect for women and victims of sexual 

assault during World Equality Day.


“WE TAKE OUR 

RESPONSIBILITY 

IN THE PUBLIC 

SPACE SERIOUSLY. ” 

— 

CHARMAINE MOLDRICH, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF OMA 

REGULATION 

5.0


5.0 REGULATION 

OMA members advertise third party 

products on both digital and classic 

signs across a variety of OOH formats 

and locations. 

Advertising in the public domain is visible 

to a broad audience, and OMA members are 

committed to ensuring that the advertising 

they post meets community standards. 

In addition to adhering to all applicable 

legislation and regulation, OMA members 

have adopted the voluntary industry 

principles in the OMA Code of Ethics. 


A nationwide campaign sparks curiosity and encourages 

Australians to eat healthier. 

MEETING 

COMMUNITY 

STANDARDS.


OUT “ OF HOME IS NO LONGER 

LIMITED TO THOSE WHO 

PASS BY.” 

— 

JANE BURHOP, CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMON VENTURES 

DIVERSITY 

6.0


6.0 DIVERSITY 

YOUR AUDIENCE 

COMES FROM 

MANY DIFFERENT 

BACKGROUNDS. 

We celebrate diversity and we welcome 

all individuals from all backgrounds to our 

community — regardless of their culture, 

ethnicity, nationality or religion. 

DIVERSITY 

Use inclusive and respectful imagery 

and language that reflects this diversity. 

LANGUAGE 


Mardi Gras jazzes up the streets of Sydney 

to promote its 2020 parade. 

Use culturally respectful language.


A “ GREAT SITE IN A PREMIUM 

ENVIRONMENT WITH BRILLIANT 

CREATIVE CARRIES WONDERFUL 

EMOTIONAL VALUE.” 

— 

NEIL MORRIS, FOUNDER AND CEO OF GRAND VISUAL 

CELEBRATION 

7.0


7.0 CELEBRATION 

The OMA Creative Collection was born in 

2013 to acknowledge and celebrate the most 

creative and innovative OOH campaigns. 

The five Creative Collection categories 

showcase the creative work that is being 

presented. 

Read the criteria opposite or view our 

past winners for some inspiration and 

ideas on cutting–edge OOH. 

BIG, BOLD 

AND BRIGHT 

BEST USE 

OF DIGITAL 

BEST USE OF 

MULTI–FORMAT 

— Campaigns that make you look up 

— Simple, engaging, memorable and / 

or humorous 

— Digital campaigns that are dynamic or 

relevant to the environment (contextual) 

— Use opportunities for immediacy and 

broadcast that go beyond weather and 

countdowns but may incorporate these 

tactics in a new and innovative way 

— Campaigns that were booked across 

more than two formats (transit, roadside, 

street furniture, static, digital etc) 

— Makes use of the versatility of the OOH 

channel to reach and engage audiences 

across multiple formats 

— Delivers the right message, at the right 

time and place, to the right audience 


Art Gallery NSW brings art to the streets of Sydney to celebrate 

100 years of the Archibald Prize. 


Chatime creates an immersive experience for viewers with augmented 

reality and QR technology. 


PepsiCo invites people in malls around the country to participate 

in a full–sugar Coca–Cola and sugar–free Pepsi Max blind taste test.


7.0 CELEBRATION 

DIGITAL OOH NOW 

REPRESENTS 55.8% 

OF REVENUE. 

INNOVATION IN 

OUT OF HOME 

— Strong creative appeal and visual impact, 

and clarity of message and purpose 

— Makes the most of context and / or adds 

to the surrounds 

— Campaigns that are dynamic and / 

or relevant to the environment 

OUT OF HOME 

FOR GOOD 

— Campaigns that prioritise the creative 

concept and use technology as a tool 

to bring this concept to life 

— Embraces new technology and innovation 

with the purpose to drive audience action 

— Serves as an effective reach partner 

for static OOH campaigns as well 

as larger media campaigns that integrate 

television, audio, digital, mobile and print. 


OMD Australia promotes ‘Moonfall’ with illuminated billboards 

to draw audiences’ attention from the road. 


Mastercard and Spotify share the sounds of the 2022 Australian Open 

with curated playlists that embody the tournament. 


Trams in Sydney showcase bold artwork from by Ryhia Dank from 

Gundanji / Wakaja Country in celebration of NAIDOC week.


WANT TO SUBMIT A CAMPAIGN TO ENTER 

OUR CREATIVE COLLECTION? 

PLEASE EMAIL INFO@OMA.ORG.AU 

If you have questions regarding 

the content in this guide, or you are 

unsure if your communication best 

represents OMA, please contact: 

Julie Jensen, Marketing Director 

julie.jensen@oma.org.au 

0477 329 636

OMA_ Creative Guidelines_ Design Development_ FINAL

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?