Faceless Faces: Billboards and Artificial Celebrity
As humans, we’re bad with faces. You, me, most everyone. It makes sense. Parsing out one oval from another—it’s a monumental task for our brains. Hell, I can’t even tell the difference between Todd’s two very different cats, let alone the three people I met months ago at a baby shower.
Even the old adage that many of us are bad with names, as it turns out, has more to do with the faces associated with those names. And according to this study, I’m not alone. Which means that for all of those larger-than-life noggins on all of those billboards out there, it’s time to face up—you’re doing it wrong.
face off
The heads you‘re used to forgetting represent a number of industries. For the sake of this post we’ll concentrate on three; legal, healthcare, and real estate.
Let’s start with injury attorney billboards. There’s almost a template. Large face with serious demeanor, even larger vanity number, a logo, something about fighting or winning, and the obligatory law practice address. Show me one and I’ve seen em’ all. Healthcare billboards offer a little deviation. Sometimes there are three or four smiling faces. But the basic information remains. It’s a single headline about care, accompanied by a website or phone number, and a logo. Realtor billboards are more of a hybrid of the two. One smiling face, a quip about guaranteed sales, a logo, and a web address.
It’s not just the stale photos, it’s the information that accompanies them. It’s over relying on the image itself and scrapping any actual thought for the rest of the design.
right on the chin
The reasons why these industries repeatedly tread the same ground has more to do with anxiety than ego. Everyone else is doing it, we should too. That’s been the opposite of good advertising. Since the beginning.
And it got a foothold in these industries because everyone wanted to be relatable. The thinking that the patient, client, or customer wants to see themselves in the advertisement. While this is true, and valid to a point, especially concerning minority advertising, it dismisses the fact that little to no one will actually be drawn to a billboard solely based on a face—no matter how handsome.
facing your fears
You CAN turn this rule on its head. It’s been done. As long as the reason for showing a face is rooted in a concept. And before you ask, “relatability” is not a concept. “Relatability” is not a campaign. It’s a tone. It’s something your creative team keeps in mind as they hammer out the concept. It’s one of many rails that keep your message headed in the right direction—nothing more. If you’re looking for a benchmark, look no further than John Foy by Outfront Studios in Atlanta and UT Physicians by Carlberg in Houston. They fought this trope head on and won.
While it might have worked for John Foy and UT Physicians, most are not them. Show another side of your business. Speak to the audience in terms they understand. Say something meaningful. Hire an advertising agency, or work directly with the out of home media vendor. Many have their own in-house creative teams, of which they’re reason for existing is to help clients wrap their heads around problems like these.
face down the competition
We are bad at remembering faces. It’s nothing to be ashamed of—as the science shows—it’s all too common. However, plastering your face on billboards, for the sake of recognition or authenticity—while also common—is nothing to brag about. People you know might call you out. And sure, it feels good. But beyond that, beyond your circle, you’re not reaching anyone. There’s no lasting impact. No substance. No actionable call. It’s forgettable. And an ad that’s forgettable, fails.
If you’d rather not see your next billboard campaign faceplant, ping us on the secure line. Let’s get up something.
