Billboards Inspiration 185 Extremely Creative Examples

Do you know that Billboards and PPV ads have a lot more in common than you would think? They are both interrupting you in whatever you are doing, whether it is driving on the highway, walking in the streets, browsing your favorite website. Moreover, both of them only have a couple of seconds to grab your attention and get their message to you. It’s either hit or miss and it’s a 2 second shot.

I don’t know how many times I’ve read that with online marketing you need to be creative to grab the attention of your prospect, well, billboard designers have been doing just that for decades so we certainly have a great deal to learn from them, especially the ones who are thinking outside of the box. Here is a selection of 185 highly creative billboards that you can use as inspiration the next time you think about designing a PPV landing page or any kind of ad.

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Bustop Giant Skirt Wind Creative Billboard

The giant fabric mini-skirt that is attached to the top of this billboard reveals everything when there is some wind.

Levis Jeans Creative Billboard

A 3D wave made of jeans… I wonder how long it took before people started stealing these jeans.

Sweetex Fat Creative Billboard

Someone better start hitting the gym.

Ravensburger White House Creative Billboard

Excelent campaign by Ravensburger: displaying a giant puzzle box on the remains of a destroyed building.

Nissan Kite Creative Billboard

A pretty simple ad by Nissan using a kite to grab the attention of people passing by.

Mr Proper Clean Zebra Creative Billboard

Mr Clean (or Mr Proper, depending on the country) made an excellent work by cleaning this zebra!

2DF Erotic Movies Creative Billboard

Damn, I wish there wouldn’t have been these interruptions in the ad! Oh… wait…

Pork Love Creative Billboard

Because Pork is the one you love! You know it.

Rainbow Creative Billboard

Everybody knows that the pot of gold is at the bottom of the rainbow.

Toronto Mural Creative Billboard

Not really an ad, but an awesome job on this mural. Things are not always what they seem to be.

Mammoth Snowboard Snow Creative Billboard

Who doesn’t like snowboard? This snowboarder making a grab wouldn’t contradict you.

Your Wife Is Hot Creative Billboard

Well, sorry… This is not what we meant.

Divorce Lawyer Creative Billboard

Playing on the temptations of life to convince you to get your divorce.

Nitco Wood Finish Tiles Creative Billboard

It’s alive!! It’s alive !!

Mini Usa Falling Guy Creative Billboard

This one is a sure shot. Who wouldn’t have his eye catched by someone apparently falling?

Boy Moving Building Creative Billboard

The old magic trick always works.. But this time it’s not a girl who’s cut in 3.

Chewing Gum Creative Billboard

If you want my two cents, that’s some pretty strong chewing gum!

Drink Or Drive Draw The Line Creative Billboard

Very nice campaign by Labatt simulating an accident on the very billboard that says you should know when to draw the line.

Mac Donalds Fat Fucked Up Creative Billboard

I’m not sure this one is real ;) but I still found it pretty funny. Watch out, if you keep going there, you’ll end up like that!

Basketball Hoop Creative Billboard

Very interesting use of interactivity in a billboard. People can really use it to play basketball.

Woodland Shoe Creative Billboard

It looks like there is a trend toward giant objects. This giant shoe is no exception.

DHL 2 Hands No Size Limit Creative Billboard

No matter what is the size of the object you need delivered, this DHL guy can do it for you.

Hole Bread Creative Billboard

Interesting use of transparency. There is a hole in the bread and a hole in the ad.

Electrolux Vacuum Cleaner Creative Billboard

This Electrolux Vacuum Cleaner is so powerful that it’s sucking up the whole ad.

Giant Donkey Kong Museum Creative Billboard

Ahhh good memories! Donkey Kong… Excelent use of this construction site.

Montel Scrollbar Sofa Creative Billboard

You want to see more of the (apparently-naked) model? Well, use the scrollbar! Fake scrollbars are even used on billboards nowadays.

Mac Donalds 200m 197m Creative Billboard

Funny ad for Mc Donald. Using the size of the medium to get the message to stick.

Nirvana Fitness Center Creative Billboard

Excelent use of the environment to create this ad for a fitness center.

Sign From God Creative Billboard

No comment.

HSBC Car Mirror Creative Billboard

This ad uses a mirror to give the impression that you are sitting in the car when you are standing just in front of it.

Erection Creative Billboard

Your best erection…

Playboy Light Boobs Creative Billboard

You don’t get this one? Think twice about the shape made by the 2 spotlights.

Ford Grass Creative Billboard

What better way to show that a campaign is going green that using real plants in the ad itself?

Guiness Guess Who Creative Billboard

This one is easy! (Before you drink too much Guiness)

Paparazzi Nikon Creative Billboard

Apparently some sensors are detecting when you are walking in front of the ad and activates the paparazzi’s flashes.

Alan Wake Creative Billboard

There is also a trend going on using sundials. This ad for Alan Wake goes in this category.

Starwars Creative Billboard

Simple and to the point: a simple reference to light-sabers. Great!

Science World Pencil Creative Billboard

I hope the intern who had to stick all these pencils together was well paid…

Colorado State Patrol Crashed Car Creative Billboard

A crashed billboard for a crash patrol.

Avera Health Smoking Creative Billboard

This billboard actually produces real smoke to grab your atention.

American Psycho Creative Billboard

Simple and clean. Almost scary billboard for American Psycho.

Omega Cookware Strong Handle Creative Billboard

Another billboard in the “giant objects series”. You can cook a whole herd of cows with this one.

Creepy Alien Creative Billboard

I have no idea about what this billboard is advertising, but I still love it!

Fitness Brickwall Creative Billboard

Did you always dream of having six pack abs? That may be your chance.

Mac Donalds Fresh Salad Creative Billboard

Another company going green in their billboard. This time Mc Donald uses fresh letuces.

Waterfall Shampoo Creative Billboard

A giant bottle of shampoo and a waterfall. You almost feel like you’re in your shower.

Smart American Nothing Creative Billboard

This ad for Smart that was displayed in South Africa might bring trouble to them on the American market…

Fish Tank Creative Billboard

Are you sure your fishes are fresh? they used real live fishes in a fish tank for this one.

Sex And The City Creative Billboard

Giant g-strings hanging on a NYC building in this Sex And The City ad.

Free Airguitar Creative Billboard

Probably one of my prefered campaigns. By my guest, grab your own air guitar for free!

Mini Yoyo Creative Billboard

A giant yoyo or a tiny Mini, who knows…

Real Estate Creative Billboard

This billboard uses some real furniture to advertise a real estate project.

Drink Or Drive Creative Billboard

You have to make a choice… Drink or Drive.

Law And Order Creative Billboard

Another excellent use of the billboard light to simulate an interogation room.

Heineken Giant Hand Creative Billboard

By just using a shadow effect, this ad shows a giant hand about to grab this giant bottle of Heineken.

Kitkat God Creative Billboard

Even God can’t resist a KitKat.

Adidas Soccer Goalkeeper Creative Billboard

Giant objects, giant people… The trend goes on and on.

Benjamin Moore Color Chart Creative Billboard

Excellent use of the environment for this Color Chart ad.

Nike Jumper Creative Billboard

One more giant person!

Formula Toothpaste Builds Strong Teeth Creative Billboard

This toothpaste makes teeth so strong that you can even tear down a billboard. Pretty impressive.

Smart Brabus Creative Billboard

Another great example of using the environment to advertise outside of the box and make a Smart jump from one side to the other.

Royal Predio Cake Creative Billboard

That’s one hell of a giant cake! Yummy.

CNN Petrol Weapon Creative Billboard

Controversy can be a powerful weapon in advertising. Is the link between petrol and war not obvious to people yet?

Playboy Wet Tshirt Creative Billboard

“Guys, pray for rain”. As in a wet t-shirt contest, this white t-shirt reveals everything when it gets wet.

Mini Cooper Creative Billboard

This billboard uses an electronic chip that is embeded in every Mini Austin and get the name of the owner from the client database. Kate is part of the community…

Giant Yellow Marker Creative Billboard

Giant objets always grab people’s attention. Especially when they are cleverly integrated in the urban environment.

Naval Museum Creative Billboard

Do you really think there is a giant submarine under this billboard? This is another trend, using the billboard’s pole as part of the ad.

Imodium Diarrhoea Toilet Paper Creative Billboard

Running out of paper? A nightmare becomes real in this self-explanatory billboard.

Sun Sense Creative Billboard

On a cloudy day, this billboard seems to be blank. But it reveals it’s message when it’s sunny and you would like to chillout instead of going to the office.

Berger Paints Creative Billboard

Another paint seller using the color of the sky as part of the billboard.

Mac Donalds Giant Straw Creative Billboard

A second example of using the pole as part of the ad. In this one, the pole iss a giant straw.

Heinz What You See Is What You Get Creative Billboard

Using real things as part of the ad is also a recurring subject.

Tefal Non Stick Surface Creative Billboard

A very interesting billboard by Tefal. The non-stick surface is so efficient that even the billboard can’t stick.

MTV Creative Billboard

I’m not sure tu get this one. The guy in the ad has a pretty scary look.

Rock Climbing School Creative Billboard

This advertisement goes completely out of the box.

Whisky Creative Billboard

Giant bottle of whisky. What is the next giant thing that will be used on a billboard?

Razor Blade Cut Pigeons Creative Billboard

A giant razor blade that is so sharp that even the pigeons which are trying to stand on the ad are getting cut in 2.

Orient Fans Creative Billboard

This must be an extremely powerful fan.. It even destroyed the 2 billboards on its sides.

Bloom Jumbo Muffin Crash Car Creative Billboard

This time the advertisers are using giant Muffins. This 2 steps campaign even made one of the muffins fall on the car behind it.

King Kong Creative Billboard

When you think “giant thing” and building, at some point you HAVE to think about King Kong.

Burnt Skin Creative Billboard

There is an important number of campaigns using the texture of the ad itself as a mean to get its message out.

BBC World Corner Creative Billboard

Depending on which side of the building you are standing, you only have half of the information about what is going on. Interesting ad by BBC World.

Ponds Cleans Pores Creative Billboard

This time it’s a giant skin pore. See the simplicity of the ad: 1 giant thing to grab your atention, a slogan and the product. Nothing fancy there: simple and efficient.

Bay Area Red Cross Creative Billboard

A part of the “environment interaction” billboards could be put in a “what if” category. This billboard presenting a destroyed building would fit there.

2012 Floods Subway Creative Billboard

As the billboard just above, this ad fits in the same category. The ad bleeds out of its boundaries to invade the space.

Radio2 Striptease Creative Billboard

We have all seen ads with half-naked girls selling pretty much anything. For this campaign Radio2 took the opposite direction by using a person we do not want to see naked…

Rowenta Hair Iron Creative Billboard

The material of the ad is used to mimic the hair the product is supposed to be used onto.

Mac Donalds Giant Napkin Dispenser Creative Billboard

Another one in the “giant stuff” category. This time it’s a giant napkin dispenser for Mc Donald.

Carlsberg Bottle Creative Billboard

This billboard is probably between the art project and the classic billboard. It uses real beer bottles to write the beer’s brand.

Wonderbra Creative Billboard

This wonderbra makes her boobs so big that they do not fit the space dedicated to the ad and breaks the protective glass.

Stamps Transparent Creative Billboard

Another category of creative billboards uses transparency to put the environment into perspective. This is the case for this Eesti Post billboard.

Childrens Eyes Bleeding Rain Creative Billboard

If you see this ad on a sunny day, your eye might not get caught by it since it’s only displaying a kid’s face. On a rainy that’s another pair of sleeves due to the “blood” on his face.

The Economist Light Bulb Creative Billboard

This funny ad by The Economist detects when someone walks under the Light Bulb. It then lights up. Have an idea?

Sliced Bread Creative Billboard

This creative billboard uses the system of the billboard itself to display sliced bread: clever.

Bic Field Razor Creative Billboard

While in Affiliate Marketing we hate being shaved, this billboard in the category of the “giant things” is pretty nice.

Coca Cola Multiple Straws Creative Billboard

It looks like the people living in this building can’t resist a giant Coca Cola bottle and started using giant straws to get their share!

Science World Diamond Creative Billboard

Oh so shiny! A very nice billboard that no girl could resist ;)

Mini Xenon Headlights Creative Billboard

This is what I call powerful headlights on this Mini Austin!

Bay Area Red Cross Creative Billboard

A very interesting and creative billboard playing on people’s fear of the Big One. If the worst happen, you’ll definitely need the Red Cross.

Fitness Floppy Creative Billboard

Excellent idea with this creative billboard for a fitness machine. Using the billboard itself to illustrate how floppy your own belly is…

Ariel Super Soft Creative Billboard

This creative billboard advertises a brand of washing powder which is so strong that even this giant billboard became completely soft.

Ipod Itunes Creative Billboard

Can you believe how much stuff you can put in such a tiny object as an iPod? Giant CDs!

Nirvana Fitness Center Creative Billboard

I love this billboard! Using the way the billboard itself is going up and down to illustrate someone pushing iron is very creative.

Mini Austin Fast Creative Billboard

This Mini Austion is so fast that nearby palm trees are sucked in! Pretty impressive…

Nissan Qashqai Creative Billboard

I don’t really know if I like this ad or not. Except being a giant trunk, it doesn’t even use an existing building or structure.

Axe Tunnel Pussy Creative Billboard

Erm… Well… Who said that the agency behind this Axe billboard advertising had a wicked sense of humor?

Wrinkly Creative Billboard

Another billboard playing with the materials of the ad itself.

Absolut UFO Creative Billboard

UFO ! What else could I say…

Mars Chilled Tongue Creative Billboard

In this Mars chilled creative double billboard, it looks like someone couldn’t resist and got his tongue stuck by the cold.

Koleston Naturals Change Creative Billboard

There is another trend in billboard advertising which uses the billboard to frame its environment. In this one, the various colors of the sky are illustrating the various colors of the hair.

Cascais Sailing Creative Billboard

Boat’s sails are always filled with afvertising from the sponsors, this billboard turns it the other way around by using a sail as a billboard to advertise a sail boat race.

Mustang Transparent Blurry Creative Billboard

This Mustang is so fast that it makes your vision blurry. Another interesting interaction with the environment.

Tippex Zebra Creative Billboard

When will the giant objects invasion stop? Apparently not today with this giant tippex bottle which was used to paint zebras.

DHL Right Way Creative Billboard

From what I understood this DHL is animated and the red ball is actually really going from point A to point B. Interesting.

Canton Speakers Creative Outdoor

Did you ever think that building were looking like giant speakers? Well, the creative agency behind this Canton ad thought about it.

Rona Recycle Apple Nano Paint Creative Billboard

We have all seen this iPod Nano billboard, but it’s likely most of you haven’t seen how Rona highjacked it to advertise paint recycling.

Fedex Truck Creative Billboard

Fexex Pwns UPS… x2

Funeral Services Creative Billboard

I love wicked sense of humor. This is probably why I laughed when I saw this billboard for funeral services for the first time. Come a little closer!

iGod Church Creative Billboard

iPod, iPad, iTouch, iMac… It was only a matter of time until someone highjack the message. It was more unexpected that it would be for a church.

Giant Lego Creative Billboard

Ah Lego… It brings back so many memories from when I was a kid… Well, my Lego were not THAT big.

Bank Of America Tongue Papercuts Creative Billboard

And here comes another billboard in the Giant series! This time it’s a giant letter for Bank of America.

Trueblood Breakable Creative Billboard

Funny disposable billboard from Trueblood TV show. In case of vampire, snap here!

Google Cryptic Creative Billboard

My mathematics knowledge doesn’t allow me to understand this billboard, but that’s still an amazing way to target a very specific audience and give them the feeling that they are special (since they understand the URL).

Crandom Chamber Facebook Creative Billboard

Giant facebook fanpage… Maybe not so creative after all.

Hand From Above Creative Billboard

People can see themselves in the billboard as they walk by. And they see this giant red hand pointing at them. Reminds me of Populous (only people in their 30s or older will know this reference).

Gay Together Creative Billboard

A naked gay couple wrapped in an american flag. I’m not american but from what I understand, I’m not sure this ad could have been displayed in every single state.

Tamontina Creative Billboard

Tada! This was a piece of cake building this birdhouse from the billboard wood thanks to having the right tools.

Silberman Fitness Creative Billboard

Need to lose some weight? Time to hit the gym! Silberman’s Fitness Center is the place.

Spa Bus Shelter Creative Billboard

How would you like going to a spa and enjoying soft light and a smooth ambiance…

Rio Athlete Creative Billboard

Another billboard playing with the materials of the billboard itself… Except that these are just photoshopped visual effets.

Mac Donalds Creative Billboard

Due to the size of the billboards, using daylight to cast shadows and send different messages along the day could be quite interesting. See? We’re between coffee time and muffin time.

Red Zone Neon Sign Creative Billboard

Ah Old Spice! It looks like you are facing the neon sign of some kind of club… Except that it’s a advertisement for shower gel.

Jobsintown.de Recruiting Agency Creative Billboard

Well, there is nothing more to say. I won’t comment this one.

UPS DHL Giant Box Creative Billboard

According to this creative billboard, you can really ship anything with DHL… Even HUGE things such as a billboard structure

Iran Propaganda Creative Billboard

Well, this is propaganda… But I still found it pretty creative.

Just Open It Creative Billboard

What happens when a door handle decides to hack the message of a well-known brand?

Bubblegum Creative Billboard

This must have been one hell of a bubble!

Irresistible Scent Creative Billboard

It’s always funny when a billboard campaigns includes some dummies because it’s a good way of catching people’s eye.

Airport Casino Belt Roulette Creative Billboard

Interesting campaign but I’m not sure it would work as well once there is a crowd in front of the caroussel and hundreds of suitcases on it.

Cingular Drop Call Creative Billboard

Making something fall from a billboard is always interesting, especially if it’s a giant piece of the ad itself. Hate dropped calls?

Ariel Corner Creative Billboard

Highjacking some elements of buildings can also be an interesting tactic. “Corners ads” are nice because they act in 2 times, why is as if the ad was telling a story.

7653 Dices Creative Billboard

I would hate to be part of the team of interns who has to put these ads together, but that’s still an interesting way of catching attention.

Quit Smoking Creative billboard

And here comes another giant object! This time it’s a giant cigaret in an ashtray to promote a program to quit smoking.

Fedex Stairway To Heaven Creative Billboard

Fedex can really deliver anything anywhere. Impressive.

Mascara Creative Billboard

This ad works in the same way as the kids bleeding eyes. However this one is less trash since it’s only mascara…

Color Bleeding Creative Billboard

Probably a little too “clean”, but it’s still a very creative way to promote an anti color bleeding for your laundry.

Panasonic Nose Hair Trimmer Creative Billboard

Wow, that’s not just hair in their nose anymore, that’s a whole nose moustache. Funny way of interacting with the environment and using electric cables in advertising.

Neglected Children Creative Billboard

This billboard is excellent. Dummies are sure shots.

Nike Transparent Creative Billboard

The way transparency is used in this billboard is simply amazing. Nike is not branding a product, they’re branding the whole environment. Clever.

Chevrolet Creative Billboard

This Chevrolet billboard which was made of coins probably didn’t last very long… And these people are probably crazy to spend time doing that.

Windows Vista Creative Billboard

What’s better than using dumies in a billboard campaign? Using real people of course! And that’s exactly what Microsoft did with this Vista campaign.

Tarantino Kill Bill Creative Billboard

Too bad you parked there! But still, nice thinking outside of the frame for this billboard.

Rejoice Comb Creative Billboard

I’m not sure to know what was this ad about, but giant objects seems to always make it work.

Phuket Creative Billboard

This one is for Justin Dupre.

Joe’s Jeans Butt Creative Billboard

Everyone knows that the more skin you show, the more of your product you can sell, even if that’s totally unrelated to the body. Here’s how to advertise jeans without using jeans.

Pork Chop World Creative Billboard

The world is my pork chop too!

Oldtimer Female Tunnel Creative Billboard

This reminds me of the axe campaign (with the giant legs and the tunnel), but this one is more sober as it does advertise a restaurant chain.

Santa Unfair Creative Billboard

I’m not sure if this billboard is for real or not, but I had a good laugh when I found it. Good atention grabber.

Cedar Creek Church Satan Creative Billboard

Using controversy by making Satan talk on a billboard advertising a church… Interesting.

Underwater Swimming Pool Creative Billboard

Now that’s unexpected. I won’t let people ruin my pool with their billboard. But doing this in public pools is a very creative way to make people think about environment.

Tylenol Ball Creative Billboard

Giant head, giant headache.

American Apparel Creative Billboard

No product, no message. Just an half-naked girl showing her ass, and a brand. More skin = more sales.

Saskatoon Gods Creature Creative Billboard

This is a good one. First line, you think this is an ad about environment, second line: the twist. Nice story telling. This ad takes you exactly where it’s intending to.

Personal Health Safety Creative Billboard

I’m pretty sure this billboard is not for real, but still… That’s a good one.

Wear Seat Belts Creative Billboard

Giant slingshot to promote car safety. This ad is like “on hold” and it triggers our imagination to think about what’s happening next.

Miele Vacuum Cleaner Baloon Creative Billboard

Another fake billboard, but the idea was still quite good and could be easily implemented with dummies.

Strong Tape Creative Billboard

Using the product to display an ad about the product…

Lowe’s Unfinished Projects Creative Billboard

Unfinished ad to illustrate unfinished projects. Lucky for them, the guy who was installing the ad didn’t start by the top ;)

Nedbank Solar Panel Creative Billboard

The whole picture is a set up to show how Nedbank is so great by financing solar panels for communities that needs them…

Mc Coys Circular Saw Creative Billboard

Giant circular saw… I’m starting to wonder if there is any object that was never made giant for a billboard campaign.

Fitness China Creative Billboard

An interesting way of using the material of the ad itself to create volume in the ad.

Give Kenzo Flower Creaive Billboard

Real flowers for a “Flower by Kenzo” event. Too bad there wasn’t someone putting fresh flowers every morning on the billboard.

Fitness Butt Creative Billboard

Fat people are a never ending source of inspiration for creative agency around the world.

VGZ Paratrooper Creative Billboard

Well, I don’t really know what this ad is about. But there is a paratrooper stuck on it!

Giant Straw Creative Billboard

I was more used to see giant straw in campaigns for sodas or fast food, but this campaign against pollution is pretty clear too.

Mac Donalds Espresso Creative Billboard

What happens when McDonald attacks Starbucks on their price range?

Coops Paints / Texas Nationwide Insurance Creative Billboards

Having paint all over urban elements is also an over-used tactic but it clearly has a great visual impact.

Ariel Creative Billboard

Interesting way of using perspective to advertise some washing powder.

Irish Luck Creative Billboard

And now we all laugh about the poor neighbors who’re not going to have any light for 60 days.

Absolut Ritual Creative Billboard

Absolut ads are always visually interesting. This one around the Christmas ritual is nice since it triggers a lot of things in people’s imagination and memories.

Bugs Invasion Creative Billboard

During the day, you can see only one bug on this billboard. But if you drive-by during the night, you’ll discover that there is never just one. Clever way of doing some day time/night time adaptation.

BMW Bridgeport Creative Billboard

Ah dummies… It ALWAYS does its work at catching your atention!

Mini Vending Machine Creative Billboard

There are a lot of billboards playing on the small size of the mini making it almost like a toy or a snack. Car becomes a consumer object almost on the same level as a pair of shoes or a can of soda.

Adidas Shoes Sizes Creative Billboard

Adult size shoes, adult size advertising… Kid size shoes, kid size advertising. A good way to adapt to the target audience.

Die Hunger People Creative Billboard

Luckily this billboard is not advertising any product. From what I understood this was part of an art project. Anyway, you’re forced to react to this billboard… Mission accomplished: you’re not indifferent.

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