Insights Gained from Over a Decade of Street-Level Advertising
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA—DASH TWO, an award-winning media buying agency based in Inglewood, California, recently marked a major milestone: 15 years of success with Wild Posting®.
To celebrate this exciting achievement, we reviewed countless campaigns and curated our 100 favorite Wild Posting® initiatives from the past 15 years, complete with detailed writeups on each.
As we reflected on these campaigns (featuring vibrant street-level ads with paper or vinyl posters affixed to construction sites, barricades, or building sides across various industries like music, fashion, beauty, politics, and more), we revisited the valuable lessons we’ve learned since starting in 2008. We realized these insights could benefit others looking to excel in advertising.
That’s why we created this list of 10 key lessons from our 15 years of Wild Posting®. It’s a must-read for anyone eager to better understand today’s advertising landscape or elevate their campaigns. (And why trust us? Not only have we mastered this craft over the past 15 years, but we also own the trademark for “Wild Posting®.”)
Before diving into these lessons, here’s some context:
– **The Social Shift:** Over the past decade, the social element has become pivotal. Since Twitter’s rise in 2010 and the growing popularity of augmented reality in the last five years, hashtags and digital integration are now campaign staples.
– **Expanding Appeal:** This medium has evolved into a surprisingly versatile tool, embraced by a growing range of industries for its effectiveness and unique benefits.
– **Legal and Legitimate:** While historically associated with unpermitted guerrilla advertising, most Wild Posting® campaigns today operate within legal frameworks. Property owners now recognize the value of renting wall space, transforming the practice into a fully sanctioned medium.
And now, here are 10 lessons we’ve learned from our journey with Wild Posting®:
1. Creative Simplicity Is Key
Sometimes less is more. A powerful image—like James Harden’s face or the iconic Playboy logo—can speak volumes. Simple, visually striking designs like those from Tamara Mellon or Isle of Paradise Body captivate instantly.
2. QR Codes: A Double-Edged Sword
While QR codes saw a resurgence during the pandemic, they’re not always ideal. They can disrupt the visual flow, which is critical for impactful campaigns. That’s why they’re rarely seen among our top 100 picks.
3. Unique Formats Break Through
Eye-catching cut-outs and die-cuts can set your campaign apart by adding unexpected shapes and visuals to the urban landscape.
4. Contrast Captures Attention
Alternating poster colors create patterns that grab attention, helping your ads stand out in visually crowded environments.
5. Customize for Each Market
Unlike TV ads, Wild Posting® campaigns must adapt to the unique characteristics of each market—location, creative preferences, zoning laws, and more.
6. It’s a Branding Powerhouse
Beyond promoting events, Wild Posting® is an exceptional tool for brand-building. It showcases your brand’s identity and sets you apart from competitors.
7. Creative Flexibility Is Unlimited
Though small, Wild Posting® posters provide room for nuanced, creative storytelling. Subtle choices in design can deliver powerful messages.
8. Visuals Often Speak Louder Than Words
A compelling image can tell a story better than any tagline. Minimal text lets visuals take center stage, as seen in standout campaigns like Lucky Lager and Off-White Shoes.
9. Looser Regulations Offer Creative Freedom
Unlike billboards, Wild Posting® campaigns face fewer restrictions, allowing more creative and unconventional approaches.
10. Cost-Effective with High ROI
This medium is budget-friendly while delivering great results. Its low cost and strong impact make it ideal for campaigns of any size.
Sidebar
Our Most Challenging Campaign
When you’ve been doing something this long, you’re bound to run into challenges. For us, a big one
came in May 2021, when we ran a campaign for Fortnite that required all the posters to go up at the
exact same time (midnight on May 24) around the world, across eight cities.
Each country (U.S., Canada, UK, France, Germany and Australia) had its own set of region-specific
creative. In all, we had 48, and they needed to be placed in a specific order due to the cryptic campaign
messaging. Getting all the posters up live with the international time difference was a huge challenge.
Plus, we had to keep the creative under wraps for most of the time leading up to the campaign, so
production lead time was super tight.
Our Most Heartwarming Campaign Moment
When we helped rebrand I<3NYC into We<3LNYC, we invited artists around the world to submit their
artwork to be featured in the campaign. Manya Schiess from South Africa entered her design, “The
People Are The City”, and became one of the featured posters of the campaign. Once the campaign was
live, she decided to fly to New York to see her posters out in the wild and explore the city.