Media/Press

The Ultimate Attention Grabbing Billboards From Around the World!

James Loftus - April 2, 2023

In advertising, it is all about capturing the imagination of the observer in such a way that they will not only remember your product, but also be inspired to purchase it. With this in mind, advertising agencies have, at times, gone completely overboard with their campaigns to a point where people are so impressed with the cleverness of the ad that they don’t even pay attention to the product the ad is hawking. This was the case for a number of years with NFL Superbowl commercials where each company paid a premium to try to outdo the others, and while viewers talked about the funny ad campaigns the next day at the water cooler, they often had trouble recalling the product of those campaigns, and that was a problem.

Below, we will show you a wide variety of billboards, most of them incredibly clever, so much so that there is a decent chance you will be so impressed with the advertisement that you will simply gloss over the actual product being hawked. This is a fine tightrope that companies must walk gingerly, because the entire point is not to entertain the viewers for entertainment sake, it is to sell their products, period. So please follow along as we present to you our list of the ultimate attention grabbing billboards from around the world.

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The Ultimate Attention Grabbing Billboards From Around the World! — Image source: SabuJoseph

Now that’s disturbing!

Okay, you have to admit that, while this is a unique concept, it’s a bit on the creepy side. I get the idea that billboards are supposed to get your attention, but this one does so by creating the image that you are driving down someone’s throat, a visual that is disturbing to say the least! At the end of the day, this ingenious billboard could backfire, because people might only remember the image, but not the actual product. They will say something like, “have you seen that billboard on route 10 where you drive into someone’s mouth? I just wish I could remember the product they were pushing.”

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Ouch!

When I first came across this advertisement as I was scrolling down, I saw only the top of the photo depicting the oversized blueberry muffins in the baking pan and thought to myself, okay, that’s kinda cool. But then I continued to scroll and came upon the rest of the photo, and I began laughing hysterically. Bloom’s muffins went above and beyond with such an intricate and extensive effort, adding that extra 3-dimensional element that will surely get people talking.

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Taking a Bite Out of Things

This may be one of my favorite ads on our list because it takes what would be a simple advertisement for toothpaste and turns it into a real life, 3-dimension demonstration of fantastic creativity. And it’s not only the 3-dimensional aspect that makes this ad effective, the model using his teeth to literally ripping up the entire side of the billboard speaks directly to the effectiveness of the product. And of course the attention to detail regarding the structure of the billboard being bent out of place is a beautiful finishing touch!

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Brolic!

Now, some might be looking at this for the first time and be unsure whether it is real or fake. In other words, did the construction company actually permit Powerhouse Gym to hang a 17-story poster over the side of a building that they were currently working on, and of course the answer is no, they didn’t as it would impede progress. With that said, the ad is very clever, and it is a strong attention getter, no pun intended. The message; work out at Powerhouse Gym and you two will be strong enough to lift a crane’s worth of steel girders!

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Doh!!!

If you’re a fan of the long-running television show, the Simpsons, you’ll get this reference immediately. The Simpsons has been on the air for over thirty-years and is still going strong, in great part to Homer Simpson, the patriarch of the always entertaining and outrageous family, the Simpsons. This advertisement is appealing obviously for both the 3-dimensional and motion based aspect of the delivery of donuts directly into Homer’s mouth, but also the hilarity of Homer eating all those donuts, something he is famous for!

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Turning Back the Clock

I really like this before and after vibe. Wouldn’t it just be great if you could simply restore your receding hairline in such an easy fashion? Of course this billboard is clever for its 3-dimensional concept, and it seems like it would be effective in drawing attention to the product, Hair Club, but I also see it as being a bit over the top in the ability of the product to make such a drastic change. Now I know that I am really nitpicking here, and that potential customers understand that there is no way that this product could reduce one’s hair to such a condition, but it still bugs me just a bit.

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The Ladies Love it!

I didn’t really get this billboard at first. Back in the day, I used to use AXE products for men, and I really loved them. They smelled great and provided you with a feeling of freshness. And the ladies absolutely loved it, which brings us to this very clever advertisement involving a calendar full of women on the side of a building. The message is obviously that with AXE, you will be so busy with the ladies that you will need a calendar to keep track. Very clever and dare I say, very true!

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Powerful Support

Here, we have an ad of what appears to be some type of police officer or military soldier flexing his bicep while supporting a swing which, actually becomes a real swing for the neighborhood kids to play on. The ad is effective in how it portrays a strong man supporting a small child in an apparent recruitment ad for the police or military. You don’t need to speak the language to understand what this billboard is trying to say, and that is the sign of an effective advertisement.

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Post Apocalypse

For some reason, movie makers have a fascination with destroying the greatest city on earth, New York. Now, looking at this advertisement, I’m guessing that they did not leave a billboard in the shallow end of the beach water, as they would probably upset any of the many groups of environmental activists that roam the earth looking to take down polluters. What they probably did was place the billboard there just long enough to get the shot, and then place that on actual billboards or in various magazines for promotional purposes.

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A Close Shave

It is the simplicity of this ad that I think really works. There are no bells and whistles. The colors are limited and the background is sparce, all so that the eye can focus on one thing and one thing only, that razor and the trail of shaved grass that it leaves behind. Of course the ad itself if clever by way of having the oversized razor shaving down a patch of grass, but what is more affective is that, due to it’s simple premise, there is nothing extra to distract or overwhelm the viewer. In the end, you are more likely to remember the product, and that’s the goal in its entirety.

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A Chocolate Lover’s Paradise

This advertisement is appealing in a couple of ways. First off, who doesn’t love chocolate? The fact that this delicious treat is the focal point of the ad basically sells itself, clever billboard or not. But, of course, we still have that clever billboard to make things that much more interesting. And the creators have come up with a nice concept here. First, they remind you that it has been a long week, for which you’d probably respond, yes, it has. Then they tease you slowly with the gradual unwrapping before finally arriving and a delectable bar of chocolate, complete with all the information for the chocolate exhibition that you’ll need!

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Now That’s Familiar

Yet another billboard advertisement that is just creative enough, but not so much so that the viewer will lose sight of the product. And in this case, you simply cannot because the name is ingrained deeply into the image. What’s even more is that, because this is a box, and people will associate boxes with shipping services like DHL, there is that bit of extra, brand name reinforcement that will help deliver the product to that deep realm of the viewer’s long-term memory.

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Nationwide is on Your Side

Now this is what I call dedication to the big picture. Nationwide Insurance went above and beyond the concept of 3-dimensional advertisement with this effort. Not only do you have the paint spilled down the side of the building’s wall, but you have it covering a large chunk of the parking lot below, including several cars! An effort this involved was costly, time-consuming, and required quite a bit of cooperation from the properties management just to make it work! With that said, this piece probably received a lot of attention not only from the locals, but also the media, reinforcing the Nationwide Insurance brand.

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Now That’s an Allusion

I’m liking the cleverness and creativity here, as I’ve never seen anything quite like this before. If you were to be driving along the road and quickly spied this billboard, you might think that it is not a billboard, but simply a clear glass enabling you to see the road and sidewalk that lie just beyond. I’m sure this concept has confused many a driver once they get past the billboard, only to realize that there is actually not a giant red Lego character hanging from the overpass just ahead.

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The Bright Lights

At a first glance from the top, the two beams of light looked exactly like the lights of the fallen, Twin Towers in Lower Manhattan. Maybe this was something that Mini Cooper had not taken into account, but in retrospect, this could have backfired badly. Twin Towers aside, it is an eye catching effort that will draw the viewer’s attention, yet not be so distracting that the viewer misses that it’s about a Mini Cooper. And this is an advertisement that will be even more effective at night than in the day time.

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Bathroom Break

Yet another incredibly effective ad for a couple of reasons. To begin, there is the fun, 3-demensional aspect. How will anyone miss a giant, toilet paper roll extending several feet from the face of the billboard? No matter what the actual ad is for, this will grab everyone’s attention. And then there is the fact that it is empty, with the exception of a few scraps of toilet paper. This speaks to the need to purchase the Imodium product to begin with. At the end of the day, it is without a doubt that this billboard generated a good chunk of business for the company.

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Sneaky

At first glance, this image is a bit deceiving. If you look too quickly, it appears that someone is lowering a steel chain down to hoist up a French fry, but look again and you will see that that is no steel chain, but rather a “human” chain, made up of people holding onto each other as one grabs up the fry. And of course the attention to detail with the seemingly open window is very realistic. Finally, the overall ad is a clever one with the tag line, “Keep an eye on your fries.”

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Disturbing

This billboard may be one of the more eye catching ones on our list for a couple of reasons. First, there is the obvious attention getter with the giant, and unsightly nose hairs protruding far beyond the width of the billboard itself. This is a sight that is both obvious and disturbing at the same time. But also the expression on the man’s face to begin with. Even without the protruding, and unsightly nose hairs, the facial features are incredibly expressive and over-sized, including the bulging eyes, the ear to ear grin, and the protruding nose, making this a very catchy effort.

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A Serious Message

I am unsure as to what this advertisement is for, but what I do know is that it is disturbing, and quite possibly a reminder to turn off your gas when you are not using it. If you’ve ever seen the instantaneous destruction that a gas explosion creates, it’s devastating to say the least. And it appears that this public service advertisement has captured the mayhem perfectly. And if I’m not mistaken, this may be a building in Russia or at least from that part of the world, which makes the timing of this very unsettling to say the least!

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Recognizable

This is a nice effort, combining a very basic premise with natural greenery which speaks to both the product, and the environment, a very hot topic these days. Add to this the very recognizable stripes on the side of the shoe which clearly distinguish this as a shoe from Adidas. Finish it off with just a basic, white backdrop and you have here an incredibly simple, yet effective advertisement from a company expressing that it is in touch with saving the environment, one step at a time.

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Into the Blender

This is yet another 3-dimensional, interactive advertisement that checks off all the boxes as an attention getter. As a patron of this building, there is simply no way that you can miss the add because, by walking into the building, you actually become a part of the ad. Besides that, the giant, five-story mixer is a very effective eye catcher, and the placement at the corner of the building also works well to help it stand out in a magnanimous way.

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Comfortable

Continuing with our theme of 3-dimensional billboards is this offering from the very popular, Swedish furniture maker, IKEA. Now IKEA is famous for being ground breaking with their hip and cool furniture, along with their distinctive, shopping layout where patrons are guiding through a tour of all IKEA has to offer. Their advertising department continues this trend with their innovative and creative approach to this billboard that will definitely catch the eye of passersby.

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Now That’s a Bright Idea

I like this billboard for both its creativity and its simplicity. To begin, we have a basic, single color background in the color red which represents the product, “The Economist.” And the second piece of the billboard, the giant lightbulb. Now, if they were to leave it at that, then this would be an acceptable advertisement, but the creators didn’t stop there. To make things especially eye catching and memorable, they installed sensors that trigger the light bulb whenever a pedestrian walks by, a very ingenious idea to say the least, and worthy of praise!

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Coffee anyone?

There are those who will look at this in amazement and think, how were they able to balance that pot of coffee so high in the air without it falling down onto the street below? But, with careful observation, one can see that this is very much a photoshop effort. Simply follow the stream of the coffee and the position of the coffee pot. The pot appears to be directly over the top of the building, yet the stream of coffee leads to a cup that is across the street and one building down. It’s still a pretty eye catching ad nonetheless.

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Slice of cake to go with your coffee?

Yum, yum. Now, to be honest, I’m a chocolate on chocolate cake guy myself, but this looks so yummy that I’d have a slice if offered the chance. I’m wondering just how they came up with this ad in the first place, because just how many buildings are there with this type of a distinct shape that could be used in such a manner? I am assuming that the product “Royal” is a drink that goes well with chocolate and vanilla cake? Whatever that case, this is both a very creative use of space, and an eye catching advertisement to say the least.

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The Always Reliable

Craftsman is a tool company that has been around for a very long time. It is an incredibly reliable and durable product that comes with a lifetime warranty, and I’ve used their wrenches for as along as I can remember. The creatives hired by the company have done a wonderful job here by using a strong and powerful hand as a representation of what this tool is all about, and using the tool as the support for this billboard reinforces what people already know the Craftsman brand to be.

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Hate it When That Happens

Cingular Cellular has come up with an effective way to get their message across. Rather than just having a billboard on the side of the building that states, “Hate dropped calls?” they went one step further by literally dropping the “calls” part of the message, right down onto the street below. In doing so, not only will people see the billboard from up high, but they will get a laugh out of the dropped “calls” laying in the street. This is a true attention grabber and an undoubtedly effective concept.

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Ah, the Nostalgia

Now I just love this for the nostalgia of it, which is exactly what the creators were thinking when they put this ad campaign together. Not only is the artwork very cool, but, if you take a closer look, you’ll see that the price is only 15 cents. Talk about the longing for nostalgia! I’m a bit up there in age, but never in my lifetime was there a Big Mack meal for only 15 cents. Generally speaking, people have a love for nostalgia because it is romantic, of a time long ago when things were better. Always an effective advertising strategy.

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Apple, of Course

Apple is famous for many things; a founder who was viewed as an incredibly wild eccentric, a brand with an almost cult-like following, and a willingness to push the envelope of creativity well beyond what was believed possible. So it comes as no surprise when the creatives at the company came up with this billboard that shows a tiny little device, the I Pod, putting out such a plethora of diverse musical options. One might view this billboard as a sort of symbol of the company, a company that started out small and has grown to world domination.

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Lego Basics

The Lego company has been around for decades, providing both children and adults the opportunity to tap into their creative skills and build till their heart’s content. In recent years, the company has moved in the direction of creating these incredibly intricate Lego kits involving thousands of pieces designed to perfectly replicate some of your favorite star wars ships for example, but there is just something cool about a Lego set that comes only with the basic blocks and no instructions, leaving you and your imagination to run wild. This billboard is an example of the possibilities.

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It Fits!

In a very innovative manner, Honda motorcars has found a way to impress upon potential customers just how much one can actually fit into their model, the “Honda Fit,” The only thing they are missing in that cacophony of miscellaneous items is the kitchen sink, which, I’m sure they would have you believe could actually fit in their tiny Honda fit. This effort by the marketing gurus at the Japanese auto giant is nicely done,and will undoubtedly draw quite a bit of attention to their product.

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Something’s Amiss

Well, your mother used to always say that drinking a lot of milk would make you strong. Or was that it would make your bones strong? Either way, Anando milk is clearly going with the first one here, and in a very creative way. In looking at this thing, my first impression was that it was only a photoshop job and not the real thing, but it turns out that the creatives behind the Anando brand did such a good job that I, and probably many others, have been easily fooled by some very ingenious billboard placement on the side of an actual building!

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The Golden Arches

Once again, we have another example of getting the message across with very little effort. There may be no more famous image than the golden arches of McDonald’s. With such recognizability, you don’t even need to have an image of the arches themselves, even a silhouette will do the trick! And what makes this particular ad so effective is that the message it is conveying is that the golden arches are open at night. Quite ingenious to say the least!

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Subtle

Sometimes you really need things to be subtle to get your message across, and that is what the YMCA has done here. The Young Men’s Catholic Association has been around for decades. It is a very bare bones organization that offers services for individuals and families who are in need. This includes making sure that kids who are on the margins of society and require help staying out of trouble have a place to hang out and take part in extra curricular activities, so setting up a billboard in the guise of a basketball hoop does a nice job to reinforce this message without any unnecessary “hoopla,” pun intended:)

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Buckle up Homie!

This ad is effective for a few reasons. One, it’s a clever, 3-dimensional effort that takes up a decent chunk of real estate, and will be sure to draw the attention of the passing traffic, but it also has a more serious message, that, even though a person is in the back seat, they still need to wear a seat belt to avoid being sling-shotted through the front window. This message, combined with the 3-dimensional sling shot, will surely be enough to remind you that you need to buckle up the next time you climb into the back seat of a car.

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It’s All Politics in the End

If you’re not familiar with American politics, then the above billboard might go over your head. In summary, we have an elephant, the symbol for the Republican party, and a donkey, the symbol for the Democrat party. It is clear from this particular ad that, in the year 2012, the Republicans were going to push out the Democrats from power. More than likely, this was in a “Red,” or Republican state where this type of rhetoric would not only be accepted, but welcomed. Or, if it was in a “Blue,” or Democrat state, then it might just be the Republicans looking to poke the bear!

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Pay Attention

If you’ve ever driven behind a big rig, 18-wheele truck, you know what this ad is about. Unfortunately for drivers, the back of those trucks is right about at eye level. If the driver of the car is not paying attention and rams into the back of that truck, the end result is an instant convertible just like this advertisement points out. There may be some people that call this advertisement extreme and a distasteful scare tactic, but what would you rather have, a distasteful scare tactic, or yet another news report about a family wiped out after ramming into the back of a big truck?

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