What Is Projection Advertising?

Projection advertising is essentially a video projection system that projects advertising or other types of media onto a large outdoor surface, like the side of a building. It is mostly used as an event marketing tool for short-term, transient audiences like those found at trade shows, sporting events, movie premiers, product launches, and political rallies. Some projection advertising includes various interactive elements which allow users to connect directly with and even become a part of the projected image.

The type of equipment used to project these extremely large images onto various surfaces are typically weatherproofed projection systems which include one or more powerful projectors, a monitoring camera and system, some type of environmental control system, and a computer, from which the projection advertising displays are controlled. Surfaces used for this type of advertising include rivers, lakes, sidewalks, large buildings, and the sides of large ships.

Large corporations project their logo and taglines onto the sides of their buildings and factories. Likewise, motion picture companies project ads, movie trailers, and coming attractions onto the sides of buildings adjacent to movie theaters while people wait in long lines on the street. This projection advertising media can go anywhere there are crowds and can be set up quickly. It is perfect for events where large numbers of people gather or for high traffic areas like traffic jams and parking facilities outside of large sporting events.

The maximum size of any type of projection advertising is only limited by the type, size, and overall power of the projection equipment being used. Currently, projected advertising images range in size from 10 x 15 feet (about 3 x 4.5 meters) all the way up to 200 x 300 feet (about 61 x 91 meters). The level of brightness, clarity, and visibility are dependent upon the ambient light effects from surrounding sources, the texture of the projection surface, and the power of the projection equipment. Images may appear static or animated

Of course, the best advertising is the advertising that brings in new customers and increases sales. Unlike tested and established methods of traditional advertising which include television, radio, print, and outdoor media, projection media is relatively new. The metrics used to determine the effectiveness of specific types of advertising have yet to measure the overall effectiveness of projection advertising. To some, the advantages of projecting an image, logo, or message on any surface have great value.