Advertisements on a Dome

Advertisements on a Dome? How Bubbles Are Like Billboards

Whether billboards work is an interesting question with an interesting answer. It may be difficult to think of a time where you saw a billboard and decided to try or do whatever the advertisement was suggesting, but you might be looking at it in the wrong way. On some of our domes, we’ve used the blank canvas of the outside wall as prime advertorial space. It might surprise you to find out just why this is a perfect move.

First, let’s get into where billboards and large image advertising comes from. The first modern billboard campaign ever recorded was conducted by Jared Bell. His large format American poster—more than 50 square feet in size—were ads for the circus. Since then, billboards have been a staple of advertising. While the focus of marketers shifted to radio, film, and TV as the new technologies went mainstream, billboards have always just been there.

Many marketers are now seeing the value of large static advertisements. Unlike radio or TV ads, you can’t really skip or turn off a billboard. The image is there, and if it catches your eye, the information is quickly absorbed. Of course, the content is limited to a slogan, brand name, or simple image, but this is often enough for a marketing campaign to be successful.

The theory is that if a consumer sees a name or brand repeated elsewhere, when they are in the store deciding on a purchase they are much more likely to choose the name that they recognize. Consumers make this choice regardless of where they might have heard or seen the name.

So what does this have to do with domes?

Well domes are large, white (typically) blank canvases. Why not use that eye-catching space to get a brand noticed? A number of Farley domes have done just that.

A few have kept it simple—the name of the dome or the facility. Others have used the space to advertise for events: like the US Open.

The large surface of the side of a dome is perfect for any number of advertisements. If you have a brand or name that you’re proud of and want people to remember. If you want to promote a team that calls the indoor playing surface home. Or even if you just want to fill the space with something that attracts attention to your dome like a cartoon character. Using the outside of a bubble just makes sense.

Even without going into the psychology of what makes a visual advertisement effective, it makes intuitive sense that getting a business, brand, or product’s name noticed is a valuable thing. If you’re thinking about a dome, it’s a great idea to also think about branding and customizing the outside surface.

Bubbles already tend to stand out, why not make use that to your advantage and promote!