Have you ever seen a bus ad that catches your eye? One that you have to take a second look at, or maybe a third or even pull your phone out to take a picture of?
The ads here do precisely that. Some of these “moving billboards” are national and others come from across the world. What’s consistent is each agency has crafted their advertising campaign very strategically.
Our Favorite Bus Ad Campaigns
At our full-service marketing and advertising agency, we love and appreciate creative and effective ads from all around the world. Some of our favorites include:
Copenhagen Zoo
Copenhagen Zoo’s snake bus ad, utilized “very high res pictures” of all sides of a “normal city bus” and melded them with a picture of a huge boa constrictor. The result is the appearance of a snake wrapped around the bus, with its head poking out of the front window and its tail in the back window.
Netflix
Stranger Things is one of Netflix’s most popular shows, so it’s expected they would advertise it as much as possible. But what no one expected was for them to turn over the entire bus and use it as a giant billboard!
Snickers
In this fun Snickers ad, a man chases after the back of a New York City bus while trying to catch his favorite candy bar. This Snickers ad is a playful way to show that sometimes you just need to take a break and enjoy a delicious candy bar.
As the bus drives away, the man’s favorite candy bar is seen hanging out of the back of the bus, demonstrating the lengths people will go to for their favorite candy bar.
“You’re not you when you’re hungry!”
Community First Credit Union
Sydney-based creative agency I.D.E.A.S. created this outdoor ‘bus wrap’ execution featuring a ‘stretched’ bus, highlighting the flexibility of Community First’s Fixed Rate Home Loan. The creative idea was to take an ordinary bus and stretch it out to the point where it looks like the bus has gotten into a bit of an accident.
But don’t worry, your home loan can be just as ‘flexible’ as this bus.
FedEx
This ad is a clever way for FedEx to promote its speedy delivery service.
Even partially blocked, the famous FedEx logo incites brand recognition. The point of this advertising is to demonstrate FedEx is “Always First” when it comes to delivering your packages. The yellow delivery truck’s front wheel is cleverly positioned over the FedEx truck’s back wheel.
FedEx wins!
Keep Holland Clean Foundation
“Don’t turn the bus into a garbage truck. It’s just as easy to throw your trash in the waste bin.”
Netherlands advertising agency Grey Amsterdam wanted people to treat public buses with respect. They leave their garbage on it. So they asked people to keep their city clean and not turn their buses into garbage trucks.
Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News made a bold statement that they’re experts at sniffing out a story.
In addition, the fact that the hounds are riding the bus makes its placement more relevant and more humorous for viewers. The ad shows the hounds on a bus leaning out the window and sniffing the air. The headline reads, “MORE Reporters. MORE Reporting.”
This is a clever way to show that the newspaper is committed to investigative journalism, and it’s also a great way to get people to pay attention to the ad.
After all, who doesn’t love a good dog story?
This advertisement is undoubtedly eye-catching, and it’s easy to see why.
The use of captivating and disturbing imagery of animals in captivity is very effective in getting the viewer’s attention.
And the heart-wrenching message is conveyed in a relatable way to an everyday action – taking the bus. This invites viewers to interact with the ad in a personal way, which is much more powerful than a simple billboard. There’s no doubt they got their message across loud and clear with this ad.
Very well done.
Specsavers
This idea is brilliant for advertising the British opticians, Specsavers. The execution of the design is flawless, and for a second, it really does look like this bus has backed into a signpost.
The design of the ad is both creative and memorable.
Driving behind this bus would definitely make you think about your last check-up, although the concept would work equally well for a car insurance company. It’s always important to stay up-to-date with your eye health, and this ad is a clever way to remind people of that.
Excellent work, Specsavers!
Unilever
To demonstrate the cleaning power inside one tiny bottle of Unilever’s All laundry detergent, buses in New York City were covered in 32 loads worth of laundry and driven around the city.
The stunt, which involved 32 loads of laundry stained with grass, ketchup, and coffee, was designed to show how powerful the new formula is. And judging by the reaction of passersby, it seems to have done its job. While the mess may have put some off, others were intrigued enough to stop and ask questions about the product.
Either way, it’s safe to say that Unilever’s All detergent has definitely made a splash.
Tiernitos Dog Food
Every dog owner’s worst nightmare is being pulled down the street by an excited pup. But this poor guy takes it to the next level, getting completely implanted on the side of a bus!
Ouch.
The advertisement depicts the Buenos Aires Tiernitos dog food brand as one that will get your dogs so excited that they’ll drag you along for the ride—literally. It’s a funny visual!
Anti-Smoking Campaigns
In this anti-smoking ad, a bald man exhaling real smoke and smoky effects is certainly eye-catching. The ad effectively conveys that tobacco is harmful to your health. By showing the adverse effects of smoking realistically, the ad encourages people to quit smoking or avoid starting in the first place.
In addition, the use of bus advertising ensures that a wide range will see your ads, including those in your community who might not normally see anti-smoking ads.
As a result, this ad effectively reaches a broad audience with an important public health message.
So, What Do You Think of These Bus Ads? Do You Have a Favorite?
Using a bus as your advertising medium is a great way to catch people’s attention, get them talking and even taking action by visiting your website or business location.
These clever ads provide creative examples of advertising that reaches a broad audience beyond the scope of street viewers in their community.
Additionally, bus advertising offers the opportunity to deliver messages that can really impact people’s lives.
What other creative bus ads have you seen? Let us know in the comments!
Give our advertising agency a call
If you’re looking for a way to get your business or product noticed, then advertising on buses is a great option.
As advertisers with over 30 years of experience, we can not only help you create an eye-catching ad but do all of the media planning and media buying to get you the best deals!
So if you’re interested in bus ad wraps, give us a call today. We’ll be happy to discuss your options!
One Response
These are some great examples of creative attention grabbing, transit advertising.