While many forms of electronic advertising exist today, there is no evidence that outdoor advertising has diminished in its ability to attract consumers to a number of products and services. Here are some of the reasons that outdoor advertising has continued to be a profitable way to market to the public, allowing for sales that make the use of outdoor advertisements worth both the time and the investment.

One of the first things to understand about outdoor advertising is that the application goes beyond the simple posting of billboards on the highways around the nation. In fact, outdoor advertising encompasses several methods that do not involve the billboard. One example is the use of sandwich boards that are often found outside restaurants and cafes. Positioned on sidewalks, this form of outdoor advertising catches the attention of persons walking by, enticing them to come inside for a special being offered by the establishment. Park benches are another means of employing outside advertising, as are advertising on the sides of buses and taxis. In metropolitan areas with subway and trains as means of public transportation, the use of outdoor advertising is also common.

The key to effective outdoor advertising is in the fact that these forms of marketing are constant visual reminders for the people who see them every day. In this sense, outdoor advertising is a way to market to a captive audience. No matter how often the advertisement is seen, each encounter helps to reinforce the awareness of the good or service that is being marketed. The end result is that an individual may see outdoor advertising for an extended period of time, and one day determine that the good or service advertised meets a need. There is no question about where the person can go in order to meet that need.

Outdoor advertising is often placed in locations that are in close proximity to the business. As with the sandwich boards in front of restaurants, the marketing tool helps to draw in business from people who see the ad and decide they want to purchase the product right now, rather than later. The quick turnaround in recognition and customer purchase helps to keep the concept of outdoor advertising a profitable means of doing business.

Outdoor advertising can also help to reinforce other forms of advertising. As an example, billboards may help to build name recognition for a business, so that when a circular for that company arrives in the mail, consumers are more apt to actually read through the printed matter. Many companies choose to include outdoor advertising as an important part of their overall public relations campaign, simply because it helps to improve the measurable results from other forms of advertising.