Best Billboard Advertising Strategies for Summer 2025

Summer is upon us, and what’s at the top of everyone’s minds? Billboard advertising! The sweet summer sun brings us all out and back into the world after many months of being holed up in our winter dens. 

Of course, the endless possibilities that summer brings for billboard ads mean a new and refined guide on the best billboard advertising strategies for summer, so let’s dive in.

Foot traffic galore, constant travel, and many event-based opportunities are what summer brings, and that creates a perfect storm for summer billboard advertising—think of all of those eager, sun-lit eyes looking up at the glorious and towering messages all around.

Billboard advertising thrives in the summer, so without further adieu, here are expert advertising strategies to help your billboards become successful this summer.

1) Focus on High-Traffic Travel Routes

The success of any good billboard is primarily determined by its location. Location is key in the out-of-home (OOH) industry, and choosing the right spot makes all of the difference.

Here’s a quick rundown of the most profitable locations:

• Major highways and roadways
• Busy urban centers
• Tourist destinations
• Beach-towns

Now, of course, there are many more, but for summer, these are the best locations for billboard advertising and are sure to tap into that vacation-oriented and ready-to-spend audience that any advertiser is seeking.

Reserve your OOH inventory soon—you’re not the only one gearing up for the summer rush.

2) Use Bright, Bold, & Summer-Themed Visuals

Now is where we break into a smidge of color psychology. Summer brings out our fun, adventure-seeking selves; now, what better way to reach these audiences than with fun colors and visuals?

Quick Color Psychology Lesson:

Red: Passion, Energy, Excitement

• Yellow: Happiness, Joy, Optimism
• Orange: Warmth, Creativity, Adventure
• Green: Prosperity, Finances, Nature
• Blue: Trust, Calmness, Dependability

Integrate these proven colors to encourage any emotion or feeling you want your audience to feel. This will prime them to be more receptive to your message and more likely to take action.

In addition to this, imagery of the beach, fun activities, and sweet summer indulgences appeals most directly to the summer crowds and will encourage them to connect with your billboard ads as they directly align with their mindset.

3) Leverage Local Events and Festivals

Summer is also the season of events, gatherings, and constant happenings every single week. A masterclass method to amp up your billboard ad power is targeting local events, concerts, etc., and placing your messaging right in the midst of it all.

This guarantees viewers, especially for bigger events, access to audiences that have disposable income—after all, how wouldn’t they if they were attending festivals and outdoor gatherings? This valuable location-targeting will unlock a whole new level of your billboard summer advertising.

4) Create Urgency with Time-Sensitive Offers

Summer is backed by limited-time events and opportunities like seasonal products, holiday weekends like the 4th of July, and even back-to-school sales towards the end of the season. Billboards that highlight urgency, like “Limited Time Offer” or “This Week Only,” are more likely to capture attention and cause a consumer response.

Digital billboards are particularly effective due to their ability to feature brighter and more eye-catching visuals, as well as show different deals, countdowns, and aspects of a given promotion. One digital billboard can reveal several limited deals that can secure a multitude of customers. 

5) Drive Online Engagement via CTAs

Including a bold call to action on your billboard can spark direct and immediate action. Some forms of this include:

• Phone numbers
• Email addresses
• Physical addresses
• QR codes

Whether it’s downloading an app, calling you personally, or claiming an offer, this billboard advertising strategy is perfect for the summer—especially QR codes. There are increased amounts of younger audiences out and about with their cell phones, ready to scan a QR code at a moment’s notice.

Wrapping It Up

There are so many different advertising strategies, but these are tried-and-true and will allow you to take your messaging to the next level. Move quickly, as advertisers are already looking at in-stock media to make their next big summer ad move—you’ve gotta beat them to it!