California, home to the city of Angels, the golden gate bridge, Hollywood, and so much more. California is a massive state that has everything from beaches to snowy mountains, and forests that reach the skies. Famously, one of the forests featured in the original Lord of the Rings trilogy is located in California. Cali is truly a special state in the hearts of millions, and is the object of affection in a plethora of songs and ballads. Adding to California’s international reputation is undoubtedly the popularity of Hollywood and film/entertainment as a main product of the United States internationally. All of this clout, fame, and history make California one of the most famous states in the entire nation.
With that in mind, California is also considered a prime destination for all sorts of marketing campaigns, truly regardless of industry. However, there are a lot of different ways to connect and communicate with the consumers and residents of California. Where you decide to advertise in California can be largely determined by who you’re trying to reach, and what type of campaign you’d like to run.
On Billboards
Billboards are an extremely popular form of marketing, and really have been since they first burst onto the scene. From Bakersfield billboards to billboards in Los Angeles and San Francisco, there are plenty of different California regions that have prime billboard real estate. No matter if you’re setting up Bakersfield billboards or billboards anywhere else in California, you’re going to want to target any number of their highly trafficked highways.
While all billboard marketing campaigns are slightly localized, Bakersfield billboards would likely be much more regionally focused than billboards in larger metropolitan areas of the state. This is because Bakersfield billboards would likely be targeted specifically at residents of the smaller city, or would act to inform visitors about the region’s attractions.
Campaigns that make use of Bakersfield billboards will therefore be designed slightly differently than other more general billboard campaigns in a larger city with a broader audience base. Billboard campaigns can be an effective form of marketing in any major metropolitan area with a healthy volume of regular highway traffic.
Public Transit Marketing
Another great way to execute a marketing and advertising campaign in California is through transit marketing. Transit marketing can involve any number of different strategies that are focused on increasing brand visibility, and consumer awareness. Not only that, but transit marketing can be a good way to engage consumers and can help drive follow up actions.
There are different types of transit marketing, from a station-take-over campaign in which a single brand or organization rents out the entire marketing and advertising space of a single public transit station. This is a great way to announce big events, like an upcoming film or product release, and can also be an excellent strategy for a new brand entering the marketspace, as it is sure to get the attention of many consumers.
Other forms of transit marketing include commissioning a wrap on a public bus or train which is another creative and engaging way for your brand to stand out in the eyes of consumers.
Making use of Street Furniture
With the amount of foot traffic and public transportation that occurs in the cities of California, there is no reason not to capitalize on street furniture advertising opportunities. There are a plethora of different street furniture campaigns that organizations can utilize in order to get their messaging out there.
From bus-shelter advertising to bench-wrapping, there are a lot of options for your creative team to think outside the box and make use of street-furniture advertising all throughout California.
Wildposting in Cali
Wildposting is another relatively popular marketing technique that is available in most metropolitan and urban areas. Wildposting makes use of spaces wherein posters and vinyls can be hung in volume and in succession.
This is a great way to create a somewhat of a mosaic with your advertising and catch the attention of your target audience.
Retail Advertising Opportunities
Retail advertising is another growing marketing and advertising avenue that is gaining traction with modern marketing professionals. Retail advertising can take on several different sizes and shapes, and the campaign-design can be customized to fit the needs of the brand, as well as the needs of the target audience.
There are a lot of retail advertising opportunities currently available in California that are more than worth checking out.
Tips on advertising in California
California’s advertising industry can be highly competitive and challenging. It might be challenging for emerging businesses to carve out a niche in the advertising industry in California because the state is home to numerous consumers and advertising companies. Here are some tips to help you.
- Research the audience you want to reach– Make sure to thoroughly investigate your target audience before anything else. Naturally, this matters in any state, but it matters even more in California because there are so many distinct groups there to advertise to. You’ll be able to focus your advertising as precisely as possible by doing research on your target market. Once you have this knowledge, you’ll be able to create the right kinds of advertising and choose what kind of material to include in them in order to connect with your target demographic.
- Add diversity to your marketing supplies- Also, you want to try to vary your advertisements as much as you can. Don’t limit your advertising to one kind of marketing, like web advertising. Using three various sorts of advertising materials, you should aim to promote to Californians. This will enable you to reach more people.
- Social media marketing- It’s also smart to use social media marketing strategies like collaborating with influencers and running ads on Facebook and Instagram. Since many Californians are engaged on social media, they may follow influencers with whom they connect or the social media pages of their favorite brands. For each significant social media network, you should set up a profile page for your company. Effective social media advertising will enable you to create an audience from start and give you a channel for offering customer support to your clients or subscribers.
- Content marketing- Compared to outright commercials, content marketing is educational, engaging, and feels much more legitimate and authoritative. Product reviews, guides, blog entries, and other forms of content marketing are examples. When targeting California consumers, content marketing is crucial since it may increase brand authority in your niche or industry and enlighten potential customers about your company, your products, and what they need.
- Use SEO skillfully- Another very important factor is SEO, or search engine optimization. Your brand will appear more frequently at the top of Google search engine results pages if you understand SEO and include it into your online marketing materials and website. It makes your brand more searchable, increases the visibility of your advertising to your target audience, and provides you with some insight into the terms your target audience members use to find products and services.
California Advertising Regulations to Bear in Mind
California Business and Professions Code § 17500 et seq.
It is illegal to use deceptive advertising. In accordance with other sections of the California Business and Professions Code, deceptive advertising is likewise prohibited in California. False assertions are prohibited by Section 17500, and violating this law through a false advertisement is punishable by up to six months in county jail, a fine of up to $2,500, or a combination of the two.
Federal Trade Commission Act
Advertising that is unfair or deceptive is prohibited by the Federal Trade Commission Act. The Federal Trade Commission may file a sizable lawsuit against you if you advertise or market in an unfair or misleading way. The FTC also controls deceptive and fraudulent social media use in online advertising. Always be careful in choosing your move in advertising to avoid this.
California Unfair Competition Law, Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 17200 et seq.
The Federal Trade Commission Act is known as the California Unfair Competition Law in California. Unfair business practices and false, misleading, or deceptive advertising are prohibited by the UCL. Under the UCL, consumers have a private right of action, whereas the FTC Act only permits cases to be brought by the FTC.
California Consumers Legal Remedies Act, Cal. Civil Code §§ 1750 et seq.
A business may incur costly penalties for violating the CLRA. Under the CLRA, consumers may file a lawsuit and seek real damages, injunctive relief, restitution, punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, and court expenses.
Advertising is more complex than it first appears. To assist you with this, get advice from an experienced business attorney.
The advantages of advertising
- It develops a strategy for differentiating brands and goods from the competitors- Nowadays, consumers seek more than simply “good enough” products. They seek out the best deal on the item they wish to buy. So, it’s important to have advertisements for items that live up to their claims and provide consumers with useful information.
- Several demographics are simultaneously reached- One of the simplest methods to simultaneously contact several target groups is through advertising. This step enables prospect cloning and aids in the better understanding of a company’s key clients and the demographics to which they belong.
- It gives customers information about their options- Each buyer has distinctive unique tastes that favor some products over others. In order for customers to exercise their right to choose the items that are best for them, businesses can provide information about a wide range of possibilities that can appeal to a wide demography.
- Advertising fosters and supports economic progress- When advertising is offered in significant areas, the GDP growth of those markets is directly correlated with the consumption of advertising. Certain sectors see better growth than other industries when they promote more frequently.
- Jobs are produced via advertising- Around 18 million jobs are generated by advertising in the United States alone, which supports the economy in a variety of ways. Advertising helps businesses and industries create more jobs by increasing profitability, which in turn creates more jobs.
- It is also possible to stress a single target demographic- Advertising enables a company to target a particular demographic. Direct mail campaigns, email marketing, and even airing food advertisements serve as examples of this.
Wrapping Up
Like in other states with major metropolitan cities, there are a variety of advertising and marketing campaigns and strategies to choose from. In California, you can make use of billboard campaigns, street furniture advertising, and a variety of other marketing strategies. Just be sure to do your due diligence and conduct target-audience research before launching your campaign.