Vocabulary and Definitions

[Extra]Outdoor Advertising Industry Glossary by Greatoutdoornetwork

30 Sheet Poster The largest standardized poster format measuring 12′3" x 24′6" in overall size with a bleed copy area of 10′5" x 22′8".

Allotment

The number of units required to achieve a desired GRP level in a market. Traditional poster panel showings consist of illuminated and unilluminated displays that will vary by market size and population.

Approach

The distance measured along the line of travel from the point where an advertising unit first becomes fully visible to the point where the copy is no longer readable.

Audited

The certification of traffic circulation. The TAB (U.S.A) is an independent auditing bureau responsible for verifying traffic circulation in a market.

Billboard or Board

Large format advertising displays intended for viewing from extended distances, generally more than 50 feet. Billboard displays are: 30-sheet posters, 8-sheet posters, vinyl-wrapped posters, bulletins, wall murals and stadium signage.

Bleed

Poster copy that extends to the edge of a poster panel frame on all sides.

Bulletin

A standardized outdoor format commonly measuring 14′ x 48′ in overall size more or less. Either sold as permanent displays or in rotary packages. Bulletin copy can be rendered using hand painting techniques, computer production or printing on paper.

Cancellation Period

A specified period of time when a contract can be terminated. Common to all media.

Charting a Showing

The process of selecting individual unit locations to maximize out-of-home advertising objectives.

Circulation

Traffic volume that see's the media in a market.

Co-Op

The sharing of advertising costs between a manufacturer and distributor or dealer. Common to all media.

Continuity

The elimination of gaps in a media schedule by maximizing the duration of a campaign, usually 52 weeks.

Copy

Artwork displayed on an out-of-home unit.

Copy Area

The viewing area on an out-of-home unit.

Coverage

The boundaries of a market. The term also refers to the percentage of a county/counties/provinces exposed to out-of-home advertising.

CPM

Cost per thousand. The term refers to the cost of reaching one thousand advertising exposure opportunities in a market. Common to all media.

CPP

Cost per point. The term refers to the cost of exposure opportunities that equal one gross rating point in a market or one percent of the population. Common to all media.

Creative Brief

Detailed marketing objectives that pertain to the design of an out-of-home campaign. Common to all media.

DEC

Daily Effective Circulation. The term refers to the audited audience of potential viewers who have the opportunity to see an out-of-home message during a 24 hour period.

Display Period

The interval of exposure when an out-of-home advertising campaign is viewed.

Distribution

The strategic scattering of out-of-home units across a market.

Embellishment Letters, figures, mechanical devices or lighting that is attached to the face of an out-of-home unit to create special effects.

Exposure

Seeing an advertising message. Common to all media.

Extension

The addition of copy outside the restraints of a bulletin or Premiere Panel face. Sometimes referred to as cut-outs.

Extension

The addition of copy outside the restraints of a bulletin or Premiere Panel face. Sometimes referred to as cut-outs.

Face The surface area on an out-of-home unit where advertising copy is displayed. A unit may have more than one face.

Facing

The cardinal direction that an out-of-home unit faces. As an example, a north facing bulletin would be viewed by vehicles traveling south.

Flagging

A tear that causes poster paper to hang loose from a bulletin or poster panel face.

Flexible Face

Single-sheet vinyl used in computer painting.

Frequency

The average number of times that an individual is exposed to an advertising message during a specified period of time. Out-of-home frequency is normally measured over four week periods. Common to all media.

GRP

Gross Rating Point. The term refers to the total number of impressions delivered by a media schedule expressed as a percentage of a market population. Common to all media. In out-of-home a GRP level is sometimes referred to as a showing, and is measured on a daily basis.

Hand Paint

The rendering of copy onto an out-of-home face using paints and brushes.

Illuminated Unit

An out-of-home unit equipped with lighting that provides nighttime illumination of an advertising message, usually from dusk until midnight.

Impressions

The total number of impression opportunities an out-of-home unit can produce measured against a target audience in a market. Cumulative impressions can be combined to reflect an entire out-of-home campaign.

Line

The side of a highway or street on which an out-of-home unit is positioned.

Line of Sight

The simultaneous viewing of more than one out-of-home unit.

Location List

A listing of all locations included in a specific out-of-home program.

Mobile Billboards

A truck that is equipped with one or more sign side units. The trucks can either be parked at specified venues or driven around designated areas. Trucks with their tractor trailer or standard size delivery trucks also have large faces for signage.

OAAA

Outdoor Advertising Association of America. The term refers to a national trade association representing out-of-home companies, suppliers and affiliates.

Off-Premise Sign

A sign that advertises products or services that are not sold, produced, manufactured or furnished on the property where the sign is located. An out-of-home unit is an off-premise sign.

On-Premise Sign

A sign that advertises products or services that are sold, produced, manufactured or furnished on the property where the sign is located.

Out-of-Home (OOH)

All advertising signage found outside the home, including bulletins , walls, poster panels, truckside, digital video monitors and other venues traditional and new.

Outdoor

Billboard Bulletins, walls, poster panels, truckside, digital video monitors and other venues traditional and new.. Billboard Bulletins, walls, poster panels are referred to as traditional outdoor.

Override

The continuation of an out-of-home advertising program beyond a contracted period. An override, if offered by an out-of-home company, is provided at no additional cost to an advertiser.

Permanent Bulletin

A bulletin that remains permanently located at a specified site throughout the term of a contract, usually for long periods. A permanent bulletin program can build strong brand recognition in specific market areas.

Plant

All the out-of-home advertising units in a market that are operated by a single company. Sometimes the term refers to the out-of-home company itself.

Post-Turn

An out-of-home unit with a slatted face that allows three different copy messages to revolve at intermittent intervals. Sometimes referred to as a Tri-vision.

Poster Panel

An outdoor unit that can accommodate 30-Sheet and 8-Sheet poster displays.

Posting Date

The date when a poster program is scheduled to commence. A five day leeway is customary.

Posting Instructions

Detailed marketing objectives provided to an out-of-home company by an advertiser or agency. The information is used to chart a showing with the greatest efficiency in reaching a desired target audience.

Production

The process of printing artwork digitally onto a single-sheet vinyl display surface.

Propinquity

Nearness in time and space to a purchase decision.

Reach

The percent of a target audience exposed to an advertising message at least once during a specified period of time. Reach is normally measured over four week periods. Common to all media.

Riding the Showing

The physical inspection of the units that comprise an out-of-home program in a market.

Rotary Bulletin

A standardized 14′ x 48′ bulletin that is moved to different locations in a market at fixed intervals, usually every 60 or 90 days. A rotary bulletin program can provide balanced reach in a market.

Shipping Instructions

Information provided to printers for shipping posters and single-sheet vinyl to out-of-home companies. Shipping instructions should include a description of the design(s), full snipe text (if applicable), the number of units shipped, and the contact with full address of each location where the materials are being shipped. SHOWING The total number of units in a contracted out-of-home advertising program. A showing represents the approximate number of daily GRPs delivered by a predetermined number of units. Common showing sizes are #100, #50 and #25. For example, a #50 showing represents the number of units required to deliver daily impressions equal to half the population of a market. The showing size does not represent the actual number of units in a program.

Sign

A structure used to display information regarding a product or service. For example; Billboard, wall, taxi top signs, digital video board.

Snipe

An adhesive strip that is used to change a portion of copy displayed on an out-of-home unit.

Space Rate

The dollar value associated with the contracting of advertising space for an individual billboard "face". The rate is based on the contracted time period an advertiser wishes to secure the space for which may or may not include other costs (production, embellishments, installation, etc).

Spectacular

A bulletin that is usually larger than 14′ x 48′ and is positioned at prime locations in a market. A spectacular often utilizes special embellishments.

Spotted Map

A map indicating all locations included in a specific out-of-home program. Also referred to as a location map.

Standardized Unit

Out-of-home units constructed in accordance with the specifications established by the OAAA.

Street Furniture

Advertising displays, many that provide a public amenity, positioned at close proximity to pedestrians and shoppers for eye-level viewing, or at curbside to influence vehicular traffic. Street furniture displays include: transit shelters, newstands/newsracks, kiosks, shopping mall panels, convenience store panels and in-store signage.

Surface Arterials

Major streets in towns or cities that carry a heavy flow of vehicular traffic.

Target Audience

A consumer group selected by an advertiser. Common to all media.

Traffic Audit

The third party verification of traffic circulation in a market. Traffic audit information is used to calculate out-of-home DEC figures.

Traffic Count

The number of vehicles that pass an out-of-home unit each day. Traffic counts are used to calculate DEC figures.

Transit

Advertising displays affixed to moving vehicles or in the common areas of transit terminals, stations and airports. Transit displays include: bus panels, taxi panels, and mobile advertising signage (e.g., trucks).

Transit Poster (Bus)

Posters attached to the exterior of buses. Common displays are king panels measuring 30" x 144" in overall size with a bleed copy area of 29" x 144", queen panels measuring 30" x 88" in overall size with a bleed copy area of 29" x 88", and side panel measuring 21" x 70" in overall size with the same bleed copy area.

Transit Poster (Commuter Rail)

Posters displayed in commuter rail stations and on trains.

Transit Shelter

A curbside structure located at regular stopping points along urban bus routes. Backlit posters are affixed to transit shelter structures using a standardized display format measuring 69" x 48" in overall size with a bleed copy area of 67" x 46".

Ubiquity

Omnipresent. Everywhere at the same time.

Unilluminated [Unit]

An out-of-home unit that has not been equipped with lighting for nighttime illumination of an advertising message. The DEC for an unilluminated units calculated using a 12 hour viewing period. Sometimes referred to as a regular unit.

Vinyl

A single-sheet substrate on which an advertising messages is rendered by either computer production or hand painting. Vinyl is primarily used on the face of bulletins and Premiere product