OOHGuide

7 Billboard Advertising Examples That Worked (and What to Steal)

Updated 2026-10-14

The best billboards don't just look good. They use the medium: the road, the location, the repetition, the few seconds a driver has. Here are seven campaigns that did it well, why they worked, and the lesson a local business can take from each, usually without a big-brand budget.

Looking beyond billboards? See out-of-home advertising examples for subway takeovers, bus shelters and digital screens.

1. Burma-Shave: rhymes in sequence (1925 to 1963)

What they did: Burma-Shave, a brushless shaving cream from Minneapolis, put short rhyming jingles on a series of small signs spaced along the roadside, read one after another, ending with the brand name. The first sets went up in 1925, and at their peak in the early 1950s there were about 7,000 sets across the US (Wikipedia). The signs came down after the company was sold in 1963.

Why it worked: it turned a drive into a game. Drivers wanted to read the next sign, and the punchline was always the brand.

What to steal: a series. Several boards on the same route that build on each other, or a digital board that changes its message through the day, can earn more attention than one standalone ad.

2. Wall Drug: free ice water, hundreds of miles out

What they did: in 1936, the owners of a small drugstore in Wall, South Dakota put up highway signs offering free ice water to hot, tired travelers heading west (Wikipedia). The signs worked so well that Wall Drug kept adding more, eventually lining hundreds of miles of Interstate 90, and the store became a famous road-trip stop.

Why it worked: a simple, irresistible offer, repeated mile after mile, aimed at people with a real need at that moment.

What to steal: directional boards with a concrete reason to stop. "Clean restrooms, Exit 23" or "Free coffee with any fill-up, next right" beats a logo and a slogan. See restaurant billboards.

3. Chick-fil-A: the cows who can't spell (1995 to today)

What they did: in 1995, a billboard in Atlanta showed a pair of cows apparently painting the words "Eat Mor Chikin" onto the board, with one cow standing on the other's back. The campaign, created by The Richards Group, grew into one of the longest-running characters in advertising (Chick-fil-A, Dallas Morning News).

Why it worked: humor, a three-dimensional twist that broke the rectangle, and a message in three words. The misspelling made it memorable and fit the joke.

What to steal: a consistent character or voice you can repeat for years. Consistency is what builds recognition on billboards. See billboard design tips.

4. Apple: "Shot on iPhone" (2015)

What they did: Apple ran photos taken by iPhone 6 users on billboards, transit posters and print ads around the world, with only a small line of text: "Shot on iPhone 6." The launch featured work from 77 photographers in 24 countries (MacRumors).

Why it worked: the image was the product claim. No copy needed to explain the camera; the giant photo proved it.

What to steal: show the result. A remodeler can show a stunning finished kitchen, a dentist a real smile (with permission), a landscaper a finished yard. One great photo plus your name.

5. Spotify: "Thanks 2016, It's Been Weird"

What they did: Spotify turned its listening data into funny, local billboards in 14 countries. One London board addressed the 3,749 people who streamed R.E.M.'s "It's The End Of The World As We Know It" on the day of the Brexit vote, and told them to hang in there. Another asked a listener who played "Sorry" 42 times on Valentine's Day what they had done (IAB UK, The Drum).

Why it worked: it was local, timely and human. People photographed the boards and shared them, so the campaign spread far beyond the roads they stood on.

What to steal: use your own numbers and local references. "Fixed 1,214 Tulsa air conditioners last summer" or "Over 400 five-star reviews in Fort Wayne" is specific, credible and local.

6. McDonald's: "Follow the Arches" (2018)

What they did: McDonald's and agency Cossette cropped the golden arches into curved arrows pointing toward the nearest restaurant, with copy like "On your left," "On your right" and "Just missed us." The campaign launched with four billboards in the Toronto area and later won the Outdoor Grand Prix at Cannes (Adweek).

Why it worked: a pure directional message that used the brand itself as the arrow. Instant to read, impossible to mistake.

What to steal: location-specific directions. If your board is near your business, say exactly where you are: "Next exit," "2 minutes, on your right." Every board's copy can be written for its spot.

7. British Airways: "Look Up" (2013)

What they did: digital billboards in London's Piccadilly Circus detected British Airways planes flying overhead. When one passed, a child on the screen pointed up at it, and the billboard showed the flight number and where it was arriving from (Engadget, Fast Company). The video of the boards spread widely online.

Why it worked: it connected the ad to something real happening right above the viewer, and it was only possible with a digital screen.

What to steal: digital boards can react to time, weather or events. A simpler version for a local business: a coffee shop's digital board that switches to iced drinks when it's hot, or an HVAC company that says "It's 97° today. Need a hand?" See what is DOOH?

The common thread

Lesson Example
Use the road and the location Burma-Shave, Wall Drug, McDonald's
One idea, very few words Chick-fil-A, Apple
Be specific and local Spotify, Wall Drug
Stay consistent for years Chick-fil-A, Wall Drug
Use digital for timely messages British Airways

Big brands had big budgets, but the ideas scale down. A local business with two or three well-placed boards can use the same principles: a clear offer, directions, real numbers, a consistent look, and a long enough run to be remembered.

Frequently asked questions

What makes a good billboard ad?

One clear idea, seven words or fewer, a strong image, high contrast, an easy-to-spot brand and a simple next step. The best campaigns also use their location, like giving directions to a nearby store.

What is the most famous billboard campaign?

Burma-Shave's roadside rhymes, Wall Drug's free ice water signs and Chick-fil-A's "Eat Mor Chikin" cows are among the best-known in the US. Recent award winners include McDonald's "Follow the Arches" and British Airways' "Look Up."

Can a small business make a memorable billboard?

Yes. Many of the best ideas cost nothing extra: specific local numbers, directions to your location, a great photo of your work, or a consistent character or slogan run for years.

Make your own

Start with billboard design tips and how to plan an OOH campaign, check prices with the billboard cost calculator, and request quotes from operators in your market.

Sources

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