An old Lloyds Bank in Montpellier is set to become the site of a new branch of world famous restaurant The Ivy.
Not that anybody local to Cheltenham would know, though. While work is going on in the building, the surrounding façade has been covered with plain white hoarding boards that give nothing away. The only indication that it’s set to become an Ivy is through press information (perhaps controlled).
Maybe that’s part of the mystique the owners are looking to convey before the opening. It’s an age-old PR trick, but with the Ivy being a firm favourite of celebrities, plain white hoardings here could work against the Ivy’s team, creating something of a disconnect between the restaurant, locals and passers-by.
Still, that may be the owners’ prerogative. Not every business can lay claim to being an Ivy, though, or have the PR team and press connections to build excitement toward a targeted local populace.
Which is why we’re focusing on the hoardings; commissioning creative hoarding boards that are graphically-superior than a plain white panel can help to build local excitement, build bridges between people and the brand and let them know what to expect when you open for business.
“It is important that we connect with the end-customer and understand what their dreams are in life – their ideal lifestyle. With the utilisation of data, we want to bring forward the understanding of who the customer is, to the beginning of the development as opposed to the end. We want to eliminate the guesswork and be more accurate.”
They’re the words of Vince Frost, CEO of property marketing specialists Frost* Collective, talking to The Urban Developer recently about how hoarding boards and other measures are absolutely critical in building valuable connections between customers and property developers in Australia.
Could a simple hoarding board really be a marketing solution that helps people collect more personal data though? They can indeed if they’re part of a wider campaign that directs passers-by on the street to the information they’re looking for in a targeted way.
Hoarding boards can also be used in unique ways to build community spirit and help get people involved in projects at the ground level. Over in Lancashire, volunteers are looking to improve the look of the former Belgrave Mill site on Bolton Road by tearing down its old crumbling hoarding boards and replacing them with new ones.
The new ones will be decorated with images inspired by the local community in Darwen, and is managed by a group of student artists, local photographers and designers. The new hoarding boards, the group feels, will offer a ‘true representation of the town’ and go a long way to improving the general aesthetics of the area.
Whether as a marketing platform to let people know you exist, as a way to collect data in ethical ways and build relationships or as a community focal point, creative hoardings are a great way to visually represent yourself and build bridges with the local populace, wherever you are.
Contact Image Group today for more information on commissioning creative, bespoke hoarding boards for your business.