10 Cool Billboard Designs That You Can Take Inspirations From

02/17/2025 Katrina Leung Optimize your media budgets

Are you looking for ways to make your brand stand out when advertising on billboards? In a city like Hong Kong, countless ads compete for attention on every single street corner. A truly eye-catching billboard design can set your campaign and business apart. Regardless of what your ad is promoting, a strategic and creative approach to billboard advertising can have a powerful impact. Below, we’ll explore 10 cool billboard designs from all over the world and hopefully help spark your creativity and make a lasting impression!

Why Billboard Advertising Still Works

Billboards are unmissable—especially in high-traffic locations such as the busy streets of Central, Causeway Bay, or along the main transport routes. They offer a large canvas that can’t be instantly swiped away like digital ads on mobile. Also, a good billboard design can create lasting brand impressions. By incorporating memorable visuals and concise messaging, people who pass by your billboard repeatedly will eventually recall your brand, which is crucial for businesses looking to scale up.

10 Cool Billboard Designs

1. "Breaking News and Rules" by Mini Cooper

Source: POAD SIGN

Kick things off with a bold local example: Mini Cooper’s Hong Kong billboard ad design went beyond the usual rectangular format by letting the car’s front end protrude from the frame, as though it were driving right off the ad. This creative visual perfectly captured the campaign’s tagline, “Breaking news and breaking rules.”

2. "Flugtag" by Redbull

Red Bull OOH ad design for Flugtag

Source: Handsome Co.

Another impressive Hong Kong campaign features a 3D billboard design on an L-shaped corner, with parts of the featured flying device literally emerging from the flat surface. The sculptural elements give the impression that it’s soaring straight out of the ad.

Just in case you're looking for similar spots to advertise in Hong Kong...

Mong Kok New Town Mall LED

Mong Kok

Central Tower

Central

Sim City

Mong Kok

3 Matheson Road

Causeway Bay

3. "Air Max Day" by Nike

In the heart of Shinjuku, Tokyo, a striking digital billboard leverages captivating naked-eye 3D animation to showcase Nike shoes within culturally inspired settings. Traditional Japanese motifs weave seamlessly into the visuals, and its placement near a busy crosswalk gives pedestrians ample time to fully experience the ad’s dynamic storytelling.

4. "Adizero. Made to Win." by Adidas

Source: Marketing Interactive

This billboard in Causeway Bay uses an optical illusion that blends perfectly with the building’s windows, making it look like a giant shoe is smashing through the glass. The creative 3D effect grabs pedestrians’ attention and sparks their curiosity, creating a memorable brand moment.

5. Billboard Popup Bar by Heineken 0.0

Source: ADWEEK

Heineken transformed a traditional billboard into a three-day pop-up bar on a busy Rio de Janeiro road, offering drivers free zero-alcohol lager without leaving their cars. The cleverly positioned staff passed Heineken 0.0 through a custom window, making this unique billboard design both interactive and fun.

6. "Small is Beautiful" by Smart

Source: The Big Ad

Here's a fun and not-so-traditional billboard design that you won't find just anywhere! Smart used a miniature billboard that was placed at ground level, reflecting the brand’s signature compact design and playful spirit. This creative approach not only highlighted the benefits of a smaller footprint, but also demonstrated how even a “tiny” ad can command attention.

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7. Capsico Hot Sauce

Source: Medium

Capsico shook up roadside billboard ad design with a billboard that appeared to tear itself apart, revealing a bottle of sauce erupting in fiery reds and oranges. By relying on bold visuals, strategic placement, and minimal text, this blazing display instantly conveyed the sauce’s intense heat, sparking curiosity and proving that simple, creative storytelling can ignite powerful brand engagement.

8. "On Your Right" by McDonald's

We talked a lot about unconventional billboard designs and shapes but sometimes a simple design goes a long way too. In Canada, McDonald’s showcased a concise campaign with brief directions like “on your right,” “next exit,” and “just missed us.” These minimal taglines guided drivers straight to the restaurant, proving that less can be more when it comes to effective billboard messaging.

9. "Shot on iPhone" by Apple

Source: Trevor Collins

By featuring real, user-generated photos from local communities, Apple infuses its advertisements with a sense of authenticity and pride in one’s surroundings. Everyday people become “billboard stars,” underscoring the camera’s capabilities while forging a genuine connection that resonates powerfully with local audiences.

10. "Open for Art" by HSBC

Source: The Drum

Another local example to round out our list of the 10 best billboard designs. HSBC Hong Kong unveiled an immersive 3D digital billboard and a metaverse gallery in Tsim Sha Tsui featuring renowned local talents like Henry Chu. Through its “Open to Art” initiative, the bank aspires to make art more accessible while reshaping how people experience creativity—underscoring HSBC’s broader vision of unlocking new opportunities for the community.

Billboard Design Best Practices

Keep It Simple: Your message should be readable within a few seconds. People are often on the move or in vehicles, so less text is better.
Use Bold Imagery: Vivid colours, large photos, or intriguing graphics work wonders in catching the eye.
Balance Text and Visuals: Incorporate text sparingly to highlight key points.
Brand Consistency: Use consistent fonts, brand colors, and logos, so viewers immediately recognize you in other marketing channels as well.
Location Targeting: Hong Kong is dense, and space is limited. Study foot and vehicle traffic in your target areas to ensure the best ROI.

Getting Started with a Billboard Design Template

If you don't have a design team and you're attempting to do this yourself, it can sometimes be difficult to know where to begin. Luckily, there are many resources online nowadays that can help you get started! For example, Canva, an online design tool, has hundreds of design templates you can utilize and customize:

If you need a billboard design template as a starting point, make sure it aligns with these billboard design best practices—simplicity, readability, and strong visual hierarchy. Follow these tips:

Pick the Right Layout: Look for a template with a clean, organized structure, a standout visual area, and minimal text fields.

Customize Your Brand Elements: Switch in your own colours, fonts, and images to match your brand identity.

Keep It Short and Impactful: Aim for a bold headline or product shot that can be grasped at a glance.

Check Print Requirements: Ensure the resolution is high enough (often 300 dpi), and use CMYK colour mode if necessary.

Proof and Test: Always proofread, and if targeting specific markets like Hong Kong, consider adding localized touches—like bilingual copy or local references—to connect with audiences more effectively.

If you need an advertising expert to help you with your next billboard campaign, we are here to help!