In the modern world where everyone’s competing for attention, simplicity is what matters most. From minimalist and clean layouts – being uncomplicated is slowly becoming the trend, especially in marketing. But it’s just not the design that catches the attention, the copy is what people’s eyes must feast on too. As marketing strategies change, the audience’s perception on ads also evolve.
Even St. Gregory Group, a full-service marketing agency, argues that audiences today don’t read marketing copies like before. They scan, filter, ignore, and even scroll or pass by it in seconds. That’s why for people to notice your brand, you must be straightforward.
And this becomes even more important when we talk about Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising.
Think about the last time you passed by a billboard. Did you actually stop to read every word on it? Probably not. You might have caught the headline, glanced at the visual, noticed the brand, and then moved on. That’s the reality of OOH: people are usually not sitting in front of an ad with the intention of reading it. They are walking, commuting, driving, waiting, or simply going about their day.
The Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) describes an important concept called the “Art of Pause” — that moment when a great copy, the right location, and the right context come together enough to make someone stop and take a second look.
So, when your audience only has a few moments with your ad, every word has to earn its place.
The shorter the message, the clearer the idea
Having less copy doesn’t automatically mean having a better ad. The real goal is to say more with less.
Instead of trying to explain everything about your product, focus on the one thing you want people to remember. What is the message? What makes it interesting? What do you want your audience to feel or do after seeing it? This is where good copywriting comes in.
OAAA’s own creative guidance emphasizes that OOH copy needs to work within the realities of public spaces, where messages need to be communicated clearly and quickly. Its creative best-practice guide treats copy as an important part of the overall visual hierarchy, alongside typography, imagery, and layout.
People don't ignore ads because they don't care – sometimes, there's just too much to process
We live in a world filled with information. From social media feeds and notifications to billboards, posters, videos, and digital screens, there is always something asking for our attention.
Research from Nielsen Norman Group has consistently shown that people tend to scan rather than read everything on a screen. Their eye-tracking research also found that people have learned to ignore elements that look like advertisements, a behavior commonly known as “banner blindness.”
That doesn’t mean audiences don’t want to see advertising. It simply means that brands have to make it easier for people to understand what they’re saying. When a message is immediately understandable, the audience doesn’t have to work too hard to figure it out. They can get the idea quickly — and hopefully, remember it even after they’ve already passed the ad.
Less copy can also give you more room for creativity
Sometimes, removing words doesn’t make an ad feel empty. It makes the important parts stand out.
A strong visual paired with a short, clever line can often say more than a paragraph squeezed into a billboard. The image creates the first impression, while the copy gives the audience something to connect with.
In OOH, you don’t have to explain everything because the visuals and other elements speak for themselves. A few well-chosen words are enough to make someone laugh, be curious, emotional, or even convinced enough to buy a product.
Ok, so how much copy is really needed?
There isn’t a magic number that works for every campaign. It depends on the medium, location, audience, visual, and most importantly, the idea behind the ad. But here’s a good rule to keep in mind: if your audience needs to read everything before they understand the message, you may have too much copy.
In advertising, especially in copywriting, sometimes the most powerful thing you can say is the thing you choose not to say. Less copy doesn’t mean less creativity. It means being intentional with every word, so when people see your brand, they don’t just see an ad – they understand the message.
Remember that your billboard doesn’t need to tell your entire brand story. It just needs to give people a reason to remember you. Being remembered doesn’t happen overnight, but rather, in a strategic timing. We’re here to guide you step-by-step! Contact Outcomm Inc. today.
