It has been more than a century since billboards were first introduced. Back in the 1830s, billboards were initially used in the United States. They were small wooden boards, with paintings and written messages. Most of the billboards were placed along the roadsides. At that time, the roads were mainly used by the carriages sanctioned by the post office.
Thus, billboards provided an effective means of advertising. The concept began to grow, and it wasn’t long before local businesses also began to adopt it. General stores and other establishments began putting up posters about what their stores offered. This provided people passing by with an idea of what the business was all about.
Within a few decades, the marketing industry was formed. Advertising laws were written down and companies were createdin order to manage public relations and campaigns. Companies that used billboards were asked to adhere to a particular standard and structure. Major companies such as Coca-Cola were amongst the first to start using billboardsin order to advertise their products.
In the 20th century, advertising grew by leaps and bounds. As can be evidenced by famous television shows such as Mad Men, competition in the industry led to more creativity. By the 1990s, a standardised structure was introduced for all companies that wanted to publicise their products on a billboard. What started off as an idea eventually turned into an international phenomenon. Companies such as Kellogg’s began mass producing billboards in a bid to be the first to capture people’s minds and imaginations. However, all of that looks set to change now.
The Future
Whereas billboards are still widely used in the advertising industry, pop-up stands seem to be the next big thing. A pop-up stand is a small display that can be placed outside of your stall at a trade show. It is relatively small in size and serves as the background of your shop or stall. The pop-up stand needs to be placed in an upright position, and it “pops up.”
The real reason why these stands are so popular today is because companies aren’t content with placing billboards anymore. Instead, they are taking a more personal approach in order to attract customers. Companies want to connect to customers on a very basic level.
Why Pop Up?
The number one reason so many entrepreneurs now use display stands is to engage the customer on a one-on-one basis. Ideally, these stands are commonly seen in trade shows and exhibitions. As an entrepreneur, if you have set up a stall, having a display stand nearby is a great idea. You can include all relevant information about your business on the ad so it will serve as an excellent conversation starter.