Outdoor advertising is hugely effective, primarily because it sits easily with what consumers are doing, it doesn't need to be turned on, tuned in, logged onto or have the page turned.

Just as importantly it is not intrusive. A viewer sitting in traffic responds to a billboard more favorably than he might respond to an advertisement that is interrupting his favourite TV show, or cutting short a favourite song on the radio. Quite simply, the billboard is there, and it is viewed through choice.

Traditional wisdom states that the most effective outdoor advertising should be engaging, humourous, colourful and informative. Add to this the potential for interactivity made possible by short-run digital print, and the positive effects of outdoor advertising could perhaps be multiplied many times.

As an example of this, consider a billboard promoting a new car. Naturally it should inspire the viewer, perhaps even instil in them a wish to buy, or at very least try one - in that few seconds of viewing time such a call to action is made possible by digitally printing specific, well targeted messages. How?

Rather than simply showing a picture of a car, why not utilise the ability to localise and target the poster by including the Telephone number of the dealer nearest to that particular billboard site. Previously the viewer might have had a passing interest in the vehicle, perhaps even aspired to own one. Now you have given him the information necessary to actually start the sales process.