Latest billboard layout-final design

This is the final design I have created and the one I will produce ultimately for my final billboard piece. I settled on this one as i thought it was most effective in comparison to the first which I produced. The newspaper articles themselves will be shown in a transparent effect behind the text to make them the background, and make the text more prominent almost as if it acts as the guide to where you should look, emphasised further by the "AroundThanet" with glow effect to attract the eye to this particular section.

Of course, I need to let my focus group know of the changes and also ask them what they think about the design, whether its an upgrade, or if they think its a step backwards.

Jack: "I think the design here is a massive improvement on the previous design, the primary reason being that more care has been taken into the aesthetic appeal of the billboard, such as the use of transparent effect on the newspaper articles to create the desired effect and make the billboard on the whole more effective because this improvement on the image and quality going into the production is making it easier and clearer what exactly the message is that they are trying to give.

Ellie: "I don't think you can label this design as anything other than a significant improvement on the first layout, because it seems every aspect has been enhanced or fiddled with to improve it in some way, in relation to how clear it is to understand, this being the statement displayed on the billboard of "Don't Waste Your Time" in comparison to the original "You Only Need"..I think this makes more sense as a statement on the billboard, it is more effective as it gives a clearer message.

first billboard layout

Although this design and actual representation may seem simple, it is how I look to project my ideas for my billboard best. The 'x's represent the vast amount of jumbled up sections and segments from various newspapers consisting of titles, headline, articles, images, all made to look busy and squished in the space, completely taking up all of the billboard space apart from the middle text, which will stand out on the page by myself implementing an effect to the font such as bold, and shadowing. This text will read "You Only Need", with the 'You' covering the first section on the top, then following to the 'Only Need' in the space below, on the same level and slightly smaller in size, to reach the bottom section where the newspaper name will be placed, "AroundThanet". I aim to give the overall message of this design as everything seems confusing and its almost as you dont know where to look, but then the "AroundThanet" shines the light, giving a simpler take on things that everything that you need in a newspaper is here.

Local newspaper billboard research? General billboards

After looking for billboards that local newspapers use, I saw that I couldn't find one to post and research. Therefore I picked out two big brands to analyse, looking primarily at what they do to attract and maybe inspire the public eye, as these billboards are most usually displayed in areas that attract a large footfall, like city centres etc.

This is one of Nike's billboards, and the first feeling you get from looking at it is that its dramatic, with in particular the emotion on Franck Ribery's face as he is putting all his concentration and focus into his match perhaps. This feeling is emphasised by the slogan or message that they use: "acceleration meets imagination is next level". This is meant to be inspiring and affect the public, the person that sees the message and make them think: I want to be like that, I should be bettering myself, therefore this is effective and increases the already massive population and sales generation directly possibly from the billboard itself, because this could persuade the viewer to go and purchase the nike sports wear in the hope that it would benefit and increase their performance.

The Windows phone advertisement has an effect on the audience that comes across as friendly, and the colour scheme, a 'calm' green, along with the font which is thin and light. In terms of the actual content of the billboard, what it says: "meet the new Windows Phone" gives a message that it is interacting with you as a viewer of the billboard and saying that perhaps this phone comes with a level of importance and significance to him/her, that it will help them out in some way. Furthermore the design is very simple, which creates the effect that it is easy to look at and understand, hence making their message they are trying to convey easier to actually get to the viewer and possibly sell the phone with greater ease.